Singapore Airlines: extreme turbulence that left one passenger dead and 30 injured on a flight between London and Singapore

The severe turbulence experienced by a flight covering the London-Singapore route caused the death of a 73-year-old man and injuries to 30 others.

The Singapore Airlines flight carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members had to make an emergency landing in Bangkok at 3:45 p.m. local time (08:45 GMT) this Tuesday.

According to the testimonies of the passengers, the plane – a Boeing 777-300ER – suddenly lost height, which caused people and objects to fly throughout the interior of the aircraft.

“During the few seconds that the plane fell, horrible screams were heard and what seemed like a thud,” said Andrew, a Brit who ended up “soaked in coffee” as all kinds of drinks flew off the tables.

Once the turbulence calmed down, Andrew was able to help a woman who “he screamed in agony” and had a “cut on the head.”

Singapore Airlines said in a statement that the flight encountered “sudden extreme turbulence” over the Irrawaddy Basin (Myanmar) at 37,000 feet (11,300 m) about 10 hours after departure.

He offered his condolences on the death of a 73-year-old British passenger, identified as Geoff Kitchen. According to Bangkok authorities, the man probably died from a heart attack.

His wife was hospitalized, but her condition is unknown.

Others 31 people had been hospitalized for the injuries they suffered. “The rest of the passengers and crew are being screened and receiving treatment as necessary at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport,” the company said.

Singapore Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat stated that the government would provide assistance to passengers and their families.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the incident on board Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from London Heathrow to Singapore,” he posted in a statement on Facebook.

In the United Kingdom, a local theater group in Gloucestershire posted their condolences over the death of the 73-year-old man.

“It is with great sadness that we learn the devastating news of the passing of our esteemed colleague and friend Geoff Kitchen in the recent Singapore air incident,” Thornbury Musical Theater Group said on Facebook.

“Geoff was always a gentleman of the utmost honesty and integrity, and always did what was right for the group.”

Hours after the incident, the passengers who did not suffer serious injuries were taken on another aircraft to Singapore, where their families and airline staff waited to receive them in a reserved area of ​​the airport.

Allison Barker described to the BBC receiving a message from her son, Josh, saying: “I don’t want to scare you, but I’m on a flight of madnessto. “The plane is making an emergency landing… I love you all.”

His son was heading to Bali. After that message, two “petrifying” hours passed before Allison heard from him again.

“One minute he was sitting with his seat belt on, and the next minute he must have passed out because He found himself on the ground with other people“, explained his mother to the BBC.

Josh suffered minor injuries, but worries that nearly dying may have permanently affected him.

Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student who spoke to Reuters, explained that the plane suddenly began to “tilt up and shake.”

“So I started to prepare for what was happening and all of a sudden there was a very drastic drop, so that everyone who was sitting and was not wearing a seat belt They were immediately thrown against the ceiling” Azmir said.

“Some people hit their heads on the trunks and dented them. Or they hit the spots where the lights and masks are, and they went through.”

It is still unclear how events unfolded. Turbulence usually occurs when airplanes pass through clouds, but There are also “clear air” oneswhich are not visible on the plane’s weather radar.

“In the context of the millions of flights carried out, injuries caused by severe turbulence are relatively rare,” aviation expert John Strickland told the BBC.

“However, severe turbulence can be dramatic and result in serious injury or, unfortunately, in this case, a fatality.”

Flight crews regularly receive training on how to respond to turbulence, he added.

“Not in vain do airlines recommend wearing seat belts securely fastened throughout the flightwhether long or short,” he added.

Research has indicated that climate change will make severe turbulence more likely in the future.

And remember that you can receive notifications in our app. Download the latest version and activate them.