A Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence, resulting in the death of one passenger and injuries to several others, according to the airline and officials.
The Boeing 777-300ER, operating as flight SQ321, was forced to make an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at 3:45 pm (08:45 GMT) on Tuesday. The airline confirmed on Facebook that the turbulence led to multiple injuries and one fatality.
Eighteen passengers remained hospitalized four hours after landing, with another 12 receiving outpatient treatment. The remaining 211 passengers and 18 crew members are being evaluated and treated as needed.
A 73-year-old British man is reported to have died, likely from a heart attack, during the incident, as stated by Suvarnabhumi Airport’s general manager, Kittipong Kittikachorn. Seven passengers sustained critical injuries, including head injuries. Despite the chaos, passengers remained calm as they were evacuated from the plane.
The Airports of Thailand group is assisting those lightly injured or uninjured at a designated area within the terminal. Singapore’s Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat expressed condolences on Facebook and assured that the government would support the affected passengers and their families.
Flight data from FlightRadar24 showed the plane dropped sharply from 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet within five minutes over the Andaman Sea near Thailand. Kittipong explained that the turbulence struck while cabin crew were serving breakfast, prompting the pilots to request an emergency landing.
Passenger Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student, described the incident to Reuters, noting that those not wearing seatbelts were thrown into the ceiling during the sudden drop.
Andrew Charlton, director of Aviation Advocacy, told Al Jazeera that fatalities due to turbulence are extremely rare. He attributed the incident to the plane flying over a tropical area prone to thunderstorms and potential air temperature changes. While the aircraft is designed to handle severe turbulence, Charlton emphasized the importance of wearing seatbelts to prevent injuries.
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