Severe turbulence on Delta flight forces emergency landing and sends more than two dozen on board to hospitals

By Matt Rehbein, Hanna Park, Martin Goillandeau, Lauren Mascarenhas, Mike Figliola, Mary Gilbert, CNN

(CNN) — Some passengers were terrified, convinced the plane was going down. One seasoned traveler said it was the roughest flight he’d ever taken. A woman on board felt like she was experiencing an earthquake.

Severe turbulence struck a Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam Wednesday, sending service carts and unbelted passengers into the air 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.

When the turbulence hit, Jose