Salt Lake City-to-Europe Delta flight diverts to Minneapolis after severe turbulence injures 25

Flying over the Great Salt Lake. Photo: TownLift

MINNEAPOLIS — A Delta Air Lines flight headed from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam was forced to divert to Minneapolis Wednesday evening after encountering severe turbulence that injured 25 people on board, including both passengers and crew members.

According to a Fox 13 report, Delta Flight 56 had been in the air for about 90 minutes when it hit rough air, sending flight attendants and beverage carts airborne. One passenger described the incident as a “sudden drop,” telling Fox 13 it launched crew members and loose items into the cabin ceiling.

“Everything flew through the air. The plane is a mess — covered in liquids and service items,” said a Utah passenger en route to Kenya via Amsterdam, who recalled the turbulence coming in three increasingly intense waves.

The Airbus A330-900 landed safely at Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport around 8 p.m. CT, where emergency crews met the aircraft. A total of 25 people — 18 passengers and seven crew members — were transported to area hospitals for evaluation. All have since been released, according to a statement from Delta on Thursday.

The airline is working with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to investigate the incident and said it “appreciates the response and support of first responders in caring for our customers and crew.” A separate flight was arranged Thursday to continue transporting affected passengers to Amsterdam.

While the airline has not confirmed the altitude loss, one passenger said a pilot mentioned the plane may have dropped 1,000 feet. Delta has not provided additional details about the cause or severity of the turbulence.

For those on board, it was a harrowing reminder to stay buckled in. “From now on, when I’m not up going to the bathroom or doing something,” the passenger told Fox 13 reporters, “I’ll be in my seat with my seatbelt on. You learn that lesson real fast.”