Singapore Airlines Hit Severe Turbulence That Injured Around 71 People and Killed 1 Person

By Razeile Joyce P. Aban

According to BBC, the Singaporean aircraft Boeing 777-300ER had more than 140 passengers and 18 crew aboard . The plane was heading from London, UK, to Singapore. While over the Indian Ocean, the airplane hit severe turbulence that caused the plane to descend quickly, around 6,000 feet in under 3 minutes according to ThePressDemocrat. One thing to add is there was “nothing wrong” with the airplane before so the airplane did not cause the turbulence, but more into ThePressDemocrat article, the turbulence that the flight had experienced was called “Clear Air Turbulence” which is when the wind can occur in wispy cirrus clouds or thunderstorms with different temperatures and pressures that create powerful currents for fast-moving air. The airplane made an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand, where they got passengers medical help. According to CNN, during meal time the airplane approached horrible turbulence. Andrew Davies who was on the flight stated, “The plane just felt like it dropped. It probably only lasted a few seconds, but I remember vividly seeing shoes and iPads and iPhones and cushions and blankets and cutlery and plates and cups flying through the air and crashing to the ceiling. The gentleman next to me had a cup of coffee, which went straight all over me and up to the ceiling”. Around 71 people had awful injuries, and a 73 year old British man named Geoff Kitchen died from a heart attack. Many of the passengers had stated that they did not have time to put in their seatbelts and tumbled around the airplane with many other passengers. Many belongings as well as food and drinks ended up hitting many people that caused many to be injured. CEO Goh Choon Phong from the Singapore Airlines stated “On behalf of Singapore Airlines, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased passenger. We also deeply apologize for the trauma experienced by all passengers and crew members on this flight.” Here are some photos from CNN and BBC of the plane.

(Photo credit to CCN World (first 2) and BBC (last photo)).

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/21/world/singapore-airlines-turbulence-bangkok/index.html