A Delta Air Lines flight en route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam turned into a mid-air nightmare Wednesday after severe turbulence rocked the plane so violently that flight attendants were hurled into the ceiling and beverage carts launched into the air. The chaos left 25 people hospitalized and forced an emergency diversion to Minneapolis.
Delta Flight DL56, an Airbus A330-900 carrying 275 passengers and 13 crew members, was cruising over the Midwest when it “encountered significant turbulence while en route,” according to the airline. What was supposed to be a transatlantic journey turned into an emergency rerouting to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, where the flight landed safely just before 8 p.m.
‘The Plane Is A Mess’
Passengers described the sudden plunge and violent shaking as nothing short of horrifying.
“Every one of them flew and hit the ceiling, the beverage carts also flew into the air,” one passenger told, requesting anonymity. “Any items that were loose in the cabin got thrown everywhere. [The] plane is a mess, covered in liquids and service items.”
Photos obtained by KTSU revealed the aftermath—food trays, plastic cups, and service items strewn across the floor of the flight attendants’ galley area, evidence of just how violent the turbulence was.
A Thousand-foot Drop and Screams on Board
Joseph Carbone, another passenger on board, said that the turbulence came in terrifying waves.
“It came in three waves, and each one got worse,” Carbone said. “People started screaming.”
Carbone, who was traveling to Kenya via Amsterdam, said that after the flight safely landed in Minneapolis, he spoke with the pilot, who reportedly told him the aircraft dropped approximately 1,000 feet during the chaos. Delta has not confirmed that specific figure.
Emergency Landing and Immediate Response
The plane was diverted to Minneapolis at 6:43 p.m. and landed roughly an hour later. Delta confirmed that medical crews were waiting on the tarmac to treat those injured during the ordeal.
“The aircraft, an Airbus A330-900, landed safely at MSP, and medical personnel met the flight upon arrival to evaluate customers and crew,” Delta said in a statement. “Twenty-five of those on board were transported to local hospitals for evaluation and care. We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved.”
The airline did not release specific details about the injuries but added, “Safety is our No. 1 value at Delta, and our Delta Care Team is working directly with customers to support their immediate needs.”
Was It Avoidable?
In the aftermath, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy weighed in, suggesting the incident could have been preventable.
“Anyone who flies knows that we delay flights, cancel flights when weather happens. That didn’t happen here, and so we are doing a full-scale review right now to see what went wrong because again, this kind of turbulence is incredibly dangerous, and we don’t want the flying public to go through it,” Duffy told.
“What we find out, we are going to remedy,” Duffy added.
“We are going to get to the bottom of it.”
Duffy also urged passengers to stay buckled in whenever seated even when the seatbelt sign is off.
“Accidents can happen, things can happen and seatbelts truly do make flying safer,” he warned.
A Rattled but Safe Landing
Despite the terror in the skies, the flight landed safely thanks to a calm and professional response from the flight crew. While many passengers are recovering from injuries and shaken nerves, the ordeal is sparking fresh questions about turbulence forecasting and in-flight safety.
Delta has yet to announce whether passengers will be rebooked or compensated. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has not issued a statement, but further investigation is likely as reviews begin.
