A total of 131 passengers and 12 crew members, all traumatized, landed in Singapore on Wednesday morning after experiencing severe turbulence on their flight from London. This turbulence caused the death of a passenger and led to an emergency landing in Bangkok. Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 encountered “extreme and sudden turbulence” at an altitude of 11,000m above Myanmar ten hours after takeoff on Tuesday, with the plane rising and diving several times.
Passengers on board were thrown with such force that their skulls hit the ceiling, resulting in significant head injuries for many people. The cabin was left in disarray with food, drink bottles, and luggage scattered around, while oxygen masks hung from the ceiling. The aircraft, which was from US manufacturer Boeing, made an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, where medical staff attended to the injured individuals.
Unfortunately, a 73-year-old British man passed away, and 71 people were taken to Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in Bangkok for treatment, including six who were seriously injured. A total of 83 people on board were injured in the incident. Relieved relatives greeted the survivors upon their arrival in Singapore, but none were willing to speak to journalists.
Passenger Andrew Davies described the terrifying experience as the plane suddenly dropped, causing chaos in the cabin. The deceased passenger was identified as Geoff Kitchen, a theater manager near Bristol. Investigations were launched, and Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong offered his condolences to the family of the deceased and pledged to work closely with Thai authorities. The airline revealed that among the passengers, there were 56 Australians, 47 British, and 41 Singaporeans aboard the flight.
Turbulence is a concern for air safety experts, with some attributing the incident to passengers neglecting safety precautions and removing their seat belts prematurely. Climate change is also a factor contributing to increased turbulence according to research. The incident involving the Boeing aircraft is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the company, including production and quality control issues.
Boeing is under pressure to address these problems as the American aviation regulator has halted production of the 737 MAX. With a deadline looming for Boeing to submit a comprehensive action plan to address the compliance issues, the company faces various challenges in the industry. As investigations continue, the survivors of the turbulent flight will likely have a long road to recovery from the traumatic experience.