A Delta Air Lines flight with 288 occupants faced severe turbulence Wednesday evening, July 30, 2025, necessitating an emergency diversion to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Minnesota, resulting in 25 passengers being taken to local hospitals for evaluation and treatment.
Flight 56, an Airbus A330-900, took off from Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah, heading to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The aircraft encountered significant turbulence over Wyoming approximately 45 minutes into the journey, according to Delta. The flight carried 275 passengers and 13 crew members at around 37,000 feet altitude when the turbulence struck.
The plane landed safely at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport around 7:45 p.m. local time. Emergency services, including the Airport Fire Department and paramedics, attended to the initial medical needs of injured passengers before transporting 25 individuals to hospitals for further evaluation and care.
Passenger Leeann Nash, on board with her husband, recounted the sudden turbulence during dinner service. “There was no warning. It was a very abrupt, hard hit,” Nash told Minneapolis television station KSTP. She noted that unbuckled passengers were thrown against the ceiling and then to the floor, with the incident repeating several times.
Several passengers reported that beverage carts and glass bottles became airborne. Joseph Carbone, en route to Kenya via Amsterdam, described the turbulence occurring in three distinct and increasingly severe waves. After landing, Carbone mentioned a pilot told him the plane had dropped roughly 1,000 to 3,000 feet during the worst turbulence, though Delta has not confirmed this information.
Another passenger, William Webster, a frequent business traveler, described the turbulence as the most severe he had ever experienced. Webster noted that passengers screamed as loose items flew around the cabin, and beverage carts were airborne. He attributed his lack of injuries to wearing a seatbelt and securing his belongings.
Flight attendant Leslie Woods compared the experience to an earthquake, with the plane shaking violently in minute-long intervals. Woods reported that crew members told her injuries among staff included broken ribs for one attendant, and she herself sustained whiplash.
Weather conditions over southwestern Wyoming included thunderstorm development at the time of the incident. Aviation forecasters had issued a SIGMET advisory for significant meteorological hazards, warning of potential severe weather and thunderstorms. Radar indicated storms in the area had developed to heights between 35,000 and 40,000 feet when the turbulence occurred.
By Thursday morning, July 31, Delta confirmed all passengers taken to hospitals were treated and released. Seven crew members who required hospital care had also been discharged by Thursday morning. Delta’s Care Team contacted affected passengers to assist with immediate needs and alternative travel arrangements.
A special replacement flight from Minneapolis to Amsterdam was arranged Thursday evening to allow passengers to continue their journeys. Delta emphasized safety as its primary value and expressed appreciation for the emergency personnel and responders who assisted.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced an investigation into the incident. The National Transportation Safety Board is also examining the turbulence encounter, with Delta fully cooperating in both inquiries.
Aviation safety data indicates 207 people experienced turbulence-related injuries from 2009 to 2024, with flight attendants making up 80 percent of those injured. Research suggests a 41 percent increase in severe clear-air turbulence over the United States since 1979, potentially due to climate change affecting jet stream patterns.
