Severe turbulence struck a Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam Wednesday, causing service carts and unbelted passengers to hit the ceiling and forcing an emergency landing in Minnesota, where 25 people on board were taken to hospitals. Delta said flight DL56 landed safely at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport and was met by medical teams upon arrival. Video shows fire rescue vehicles waiting on the tarmac as the plane made its landing. Twenty-five onboard the flight were taken to area hospitals "for evaluation and care," Delta said in itsstatement. 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. The plane landed around 7:25 p.m. local time, a spokesperson for the airport told CNN, confirming the flight was diverted "due to reported in-flight turbulence that caused injuries on board." The Minneapolis-Saint Paul Airport Fire Department and paramedics met the plane at the gate and provided "initial medical attention to passengers in need," before some were taken to hospitals, the airport spokesperson said. "We are grateful for the support of all emergency responders involved," Delta said. According to data from flight tracking siteFlightradar24, the flight climbed by more than 1,000 feet in less than 30 seconds roughly 40 minutes after its departure. It then descended approximately 1,350 feet over the next 30 seconds, the data showed. Soon after, the plane altered its course to the north, in the direction of Minneapolis, where it landed safely about an hour and a half later, the Flightradar24 data shows. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the plane landed safely in St. Paul after the crew reported "severe" turbulence. The agency said it will investigate. The FAA says turbulence is normal and happens often, but it can sometimes be dangerous, especially for those not wearing seat belts. Last year, seven people were injured when severe turbulence rocked aUnited Airlinesflight from Cancún to Chicago, forcing an emergency landing in Memphis, Tennessee. Five people were taken to the hospital last month, aftersevere turbulence hit an American Airlines flightfrom Miami to Raleigh, North Carolina. And in March,several flights were diverted to Waco, Texas, due to turbulence on their routes, and five passengers were taken to the hospital. In 2024, 23 people – 20 of whom were crew members – were seriously injured in turbulence events, according toFAA data. CNN has reached out to Delta for more information. This is a developing story and will be updated. CNN's Lauren Mascarenhas and Sara Smart contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com
