A Delta Air Lines flight was forced to make an emergency landing in Reno Wednesday after a patch of severe turbulence left five passengers injured.
According to the Reno Gazette-Journal, Delta Flight 5763, which was operated by Compass Airlines, was carrying 59 passengers and four crew members from Santa Ana, California, to Seattle, Washington, when the incident occurred.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport spokesperson Brian Kulpin said three of the injured passengers were transported to a local hospital by the Regional Emergency Medical Services Authority.
The region was dealing with the impact of a strong winter storm that caused dangerous flying conditions with extreme turbulence. Several social media users took to Twitter to shares videos and images following the severe turbulence.
Delta Airlines (OP CA) flight #DL5763 from Orange County(SNA)-Seattle(SEA) diverted to Reno Airport after the aircraft encountered severe turbulence pic.twitter.com/UjHajLGkGl
— Flight Alerts (@FlightAlerts_) February 13, 2019
Delta 5673 because of turbulence flight diverted to Reno today. Chaotic And scary but people showed up as their best selves. #Delta,#weatherchannel, #reno, #turbulancedivertsflight, pic.twitter.com/v8zvsk6hjK
— barbara belcher (@barbara08100912) February 14, 2019
More photos of the insane turbulence on DL5796 today, operates by airline . My deep gratitude and professional respect for the flight crew. I mis-attributed my congratulations to airline crew. pic.twitter.com/kzXAQvFR3V
— joe justice (@JoeJustice0) February 14, 2019
After a safe landing in Reno, the passengers not taken to a local hospital were deplaned, given food and a place to rest while Compass Airlines officials worked to transfer them onto other flights as quickly as possible.
“We apologize for this experience as we get customers to Seattle,” a Compass Airlines spokesperson said in a statement.
