Severe Turbulence on Singapore Airlines Flight Results in One Fatality

A Singapore Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence, leading to the tragic death of one passenger. The incident highlights the risks associated with air travel and underscores the importance of safety measures.

‍Summary:

• A 73-year-old British man succumbs to injuries, while numerous others sustain injuries
• Singapore Airlines reports that the pilot declared a medical emergency during the flight
• The flight, originating from London, was compelled to divert its route to Bangkok
• Witnesses recount passengers being thrown into overhead lockers during the turbulence

BANGKOK, May 21 (Reuters) - One passenger reportedly passed away due to a suspected heart attack, while 30 others sustained injuries following a turbulent incident on a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday. The turbulence caused passengers and crew members to be tossed around the cabin, necessitating an emergency landing in Bangkok, according to officials and the airline. The flight, which originated from London and was en route to Singapore, experienced a sudden drop in altitude while cabin crew were serving breakfast, leading the pilots to request an immediate landing, stated Kittipong Kittikachorn, general manager of Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport, during a press briefing.

The abrupt turbulence occurred over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar approximately 10 hours into the flight, according to the airline. The pilot declared a medical emergency and redirected the aircraft to Bangkok, although no additional details were provided.

Reuters could not verify the exact sequence of events or determine whether the medical emergency occurred prior to the turbulence.

Images taken inside the aircraft revealed significant damage, including large holes in the overhead cabin panels, dangling gas masks and panels, and scattered hand luggage. According to a passenger, some individuals' heads struck the lights above the seats, causing damage to the panels.

"After the evacuation of the most critically injured passengers and crew, I witnessed items scattered everywhere and observed numerous air crew members with bruising," Kittikachorn stated. He mentioned that a 73-year-old British man passed away, likely due to a heart attack, during the incident. Seven individuals sustained critical injuries, some of whom suffered head injuries. Kittikachorn noted that passengers remained calm as they were guided off the plane.

"Singapore Airlines extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased. We sincerely apologize for the distressing experience endured by our passengers and crew on this flight," the airline expressed.

Differing tallies emerged regarding the number of injured individuals out of the total 211 passengers and 18 crew members. The airline reported 18 hospitalized and 12 under hospital care, while Samitivej Hospital stated it was attending to 71 passengers.

Reconstructing the incident from publicly available tracking data wasn't immediately feasible. However, a spokesperson from FlightRadar 24 mentioned that data analysis around 0749 GMT depicted the aircraft tilting upwards and then returning to its cruising altitude within a minute.

A passenger aboard the Boeing 777-300ER informed Reuters that the incident involved a sensation of ascending followed by a descent.

"I felt the aircraft suddenly tilt upward, followed by shaking, so I braced myself for what was happening. Then, there was a sudden and drastic drop, causing everyone without a seatbelt to be flung into the ceiling," recounted Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student on the flight, to Reuters.

"Some passengers struck their heads on the overhead baggage cabins, denting them. They collided with areas containing lights and masks, breaking through them," he added.

Kittikachorn noted that most passengers he spoke with had their seatbelts fastened.

Regarding the data indicating a descent in altitude, a FlightRadar 24 spokesperson stated, "Our initial analysis suggests the turbulence occurred prior to the standard descent from 37,000 to 31,000 feet. This seems to be merely a flight level adjustment in preparation for landing."

Suvarnabhumi airport reported that the plane requested an emergency landing at 3:35 p.m. local time (0835 GMT) and touched down at 3:51 p.m. Uninjured passengers disembarked to board another aircraft.

Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) will dispatch investigators to Bangkok to probe the incident.

TURBULENCE

According to a 2021 study by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, turbulence-related airline accidents are the most frequent. Between 2009 and 2018, over a third of reported airline accidents were attributed to turbulence, resulting in numerous serious injuries but no aircraft damage. The NTSB announced its intention to assist Singapore's investigation into the recent incident.

Singapore Airlines, widely regarded as one of the world's premier airlines and a benchmark for the industry, has not experienced any major incidents in recent years. Its last fatal accident occurred on October 31, 2000, involving a flight from Singapore to Los Angeles via Taipei. The aircraft crashed into construction equipment at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after attempting to take off from the wrong runway, resulting in 83 fatalities out of 179 passengers.

Records from the Aviation Safety Network indicate that Singapore Airlines has been involved in seven accidents. Boeing (BA.N) confirmed its communication with Singapore Airlines and expressed readiness to offer assistance. Further inquiries were directed to the airline and local authorities.

Source: Reuters