Singapore Airlines: British man dies in severe turbulence

[harrybarracuda]

A 73-year-old British man has died, likely from a heart attack, after turbulence on a London-Singapore flight, Thai officials have said. Dozens more have been injured after passengers described people being "launched into the ceiling".

Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from Heathrow was forced to divert and make an emergency landing in Bangkok.
Seven people were critically injured and others have more minor injuries - mainly to the head, said the head of the Thai airport. The aircraft took off at 10.38pm UK time on Monday and landed in Bangkok at 3.45pm local time on Tuesday (9.45am UK time).

It was cruising at 37,000ft (11,280m) before dropping 6,000ft (1,830m) in around three minutes, according to flight tracking data. Passenger Dzafran Azmir, 28, described chaos as the turbulence hit.

"Suddenly the aircraft starts tilting up and there was shaking so I started bracing for what was happening," he said.
"And very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling."

He added: "Some people hit their heads on the baggage cabins overhead and dented it, they hit the places where lights and masks are and broke straight through it."

Kittipong Kittikachorn, the head of Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport, told reporters one male passenger had died of cardiac arrest.

He said about 30 people were injured, including at least one crew member, and that many passengers couldn't walk and had to be helped from the aircraft

It's believed the sudden turbulence hit while people were eating breakfast, the airport boss added. Mr Kittikachorn blamed an "air pocket" for the incident. He said some people with minor injuries had already left the hospital and were due to fly on to Singapore later.

Social media video showed ambulances surrounding the plane on the tarmac.

Singapore Airlines said it was working with Thai authorities "to provide the necessary medical assistance" and sending a team to Bangkok to provide extra help.

"Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft", it added.

Singapore is considered a standard-setter for the aviation industry and consistently tops airline awards.

Turbulence-related injuries are the most common type on passenger planes, according to a study by the US National Transportation Safety Board.

It found it was responsible for more than a third of accidents between 2009 and 2018, but no aircraft damage.

Singapore Airlines: British man dies in severe turbulence as flight from London Heathrow forced to land in Bangkok | World News | Sky News

[misskit]

58 injured Singapore Airlines passengers still in Bangkok hospitals

58 of the passengers injured when Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 encountered severe turbulence en route from London to Singapore yesterday are still being treated in hospital, including 20 who are in intensive care units (ICU), according to a statement from Bangkok’s Samitivej Srinagarind Hospital today.


Yesterday, 103 passengers were taken to Samitivej Srinagarind, Samitivej Sukhumvit and Bangkok hospitals and the Samitivej Suvarnabhumi Clinic, 27 of whom have already been discharged.


Nine injured passengers required urgent surgery at Samitivej Srinagarind Hospital and their conditions are now stable. Five more are undergoing surgical procedures at the same hospital today.


Passengers who have been admitted to hospital are of various nationalities, including 14 Britons, nine Australians, seven Malaysians, three New Zealanders, six Filipinos, two Singaporeans and one each from Hong Kong, the United States, Ireland, South Korea, Myanmar and Spain.


The Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 reportedly encountered sudden Clear Air Turbulence (CAT), which is usually severe and happens without warning. The aircraft lost nearly two kilometres in altitude in under three minutes.


Most of the passengers who were seriously injured were not wearing their seat belts.

58 injured Singapore Airlines passengers still in Bangkok hospitals - Thai PBS World

[harrybarracuda]

Possibly one of the most stupid statements ever issued by an airline considering

BANGKOK (AP) — Singapore Airlines said Friday it will halt meal services and get all cabin crew to buckle up when planes fly through turbulence as part of tighter cabin measures after one person died and dozens were injured on a flight from London this week.

I've lost count of the number of times on that route I've heard the seat belt sign go on and the pilots tell the cabin crew to be seated.

If they're now telling us they can't predict turbulence like this, surely the only option is to keep everyone in their seats from take off to landing.

[klong toey]

LHR/BKK climbing out from LHR about 30 minutes after take off drink carts come out .I guess we are getting into the jet stream but every time I've flown always hit turbulence. And I've taken a lot of flights on this route.