A Delta Air Lines flight en route from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam made an emergency landing at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Wednesday after experiencing “significant” in-flight turbulence.

Delta Air Lines Flight 56 landed safely around 7:45 p.m.

“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,” it added.

CBS News has more:

Based on preliminary flight data, about 45 minutes into the flight the plane experienced fluctuations in altitude consistent with intense turbulence as it was flying over Wyoming, before changing course for MSP.

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“We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved,” a spokesperson for Delta said. “Safety is our No. 1 value at Delta, and our Delta Care Team is working directly with customers to support their immediate needs.”

The aircraft, an Airbus A330-900, had 275 passengers and 13 crew members on board.

The Federal Aviation Administration says it will investigate the incident.

A passenger on the flight told CBS News Minnesota there were three back-to-back turbulent incidents, each more severe than the last. A pilot told the passenger there was a drop of more than 1,000 feet. The pilot also told him he hadn’t seen turbulence that severe before.

While the passenger only feels sore after the incident, he said other passengers suffered more severe injuries.

Good Morning America provided coverage:

CNN shared additional passenger remarks:

One passenger, William Webster, told CNN he takes about 80 flights a year, but what he experienced on board was “the craziest turbulence I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“I felt the centrifugal force. I was off my seat for like 30 seconds with the turbulence,” he said.

People were screaming as phones and other items were thrown into the air, Webster said.

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“I watched a wine cart just get thrown into the air,” he said, noting that with his seatbelt on, he was able to grab his phone and an empty champagne glass to keep them from flying away. Webster said he was not injured.

A couple on the flight told ABC News that dinner service had just started when the turbulence hit.

“If you didn’t have your seat belt on, everyone that didn’t, they hit the ceiling and then they fell to the ground, and the carts also hit the ceiling and fell to the ground and people were injured,” Leeann Clement-Nash told ABC News.

“And it happened several times so it was really scary,” Clement-Nash added.

 

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