Fatal Turbulence: One Dead, Over 70 Injured on Singapore Airlines Flight

One person has tragically died and at least 71 others sustained injuries during a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore when the aircraft encountered severe turbulence.

The incident forced the Boeing 777-300ER plane to divert to Bangkok, as announced on the Singapore Airlines Facebook page. Among the 211 passengers and 18 crew members on board, injuries ranged from minor to severe.

Initial reports indicated 30 passengers required hospitalization due to mid-air turbulence, while others received outpatient care at the airport. Sadly, the casualty was identified as a 73-year-old British man, according to General Manager Kittipong Kittikachorn of Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

The flight made an emergency landing in Bangkok at 3:45 p.m. local time, where medical teams attended to the injured. Kittikachorn, who inspected the aircraft, described a scene of broken limbs and numerous cuts and bruises among the passengers.

Subsequent reports from Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital revealed that citizens from various countries, including Malaysia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, were among the injured. Additionally, six individuals sustained severe injuries.

Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 indicated that the turbulence occurred over Myanmar around 7:49 a.m. UTC. The sudden extreme turbulence at 37,000 feet prompted the pilot to declare a medical emergency and reroute the aircraft to Bangkok.

Singaporean officials, including President Tharman Shanmugaratnam and Minister for Transport Chee Hong Tat, expressed condolences and assured support for the affected passengers and their families. Investigations into the incident are ongoing.

Turbulence, caused by the collision of air masses moving at different speeds, poses varying degrees of risk to aircraft and passengers. While mild turbulence may cause discomfort, severe turbulence can result in significant injuries and, in rare cases, fatalities.