A Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore was hit by severe turbulence, leaving one person dead and several injured, the airline said on Tuesday. The Boeing 777-300ER with 211 passengers and 18 crew members on board was diverted to Bangkok and it landed there at 3:45pm (08:45 GMT) on Tuesday.
Singapore Airlines said in a statement on its Facebook page: “Singapore Airlines flight #SQ321, operating from London (Heathrow) to Singapore on 20 May 2024, encountered severe turbulence en-route. The aircraft diverted to Bangkok and landed at 1545hrs local time on 21 May 2024.”
“We can confirm that there are injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER. There were a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board. Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased.”
“Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are working with the local authorities in Thailand to provide the necessary medical assistance, and sending a team to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed.”
Singapore Airlines flight hit by severe turbulence: What went wrong?
According to FlightRadar 24 data, after around 11 hours of taking off in London, within just five minutes, the aircraft sharply dropped from an altitude of around 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet as it finished traversing the Andaman Sea and neared Thailand.
“Suddenly the aircraft starts tilting up and there was shaking so I started bracing for what was happening, and very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling,” Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student on board the flight told Reuters.
“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,” he said.
Singapore Airlines issues advisory
Meanwhile, Singapore Airlines has issued an advisory for its customers to beware of fake hotline numbers circulated on the internet.
“Singapore Airlines advises customers to be wary of fake hotline numbers posted on the Internet, phone calls from individuals impersonating SIA staff, as well as fake websites, emails and text messages that claim to be from the airline,” it wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
According to a spokesperson for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, a medical team was on standby.
Singapore Airlines did not reveal how many people were injured, but Thai media reports said 30 persons were injured in the incident.