A 73-year-old man from Britain died and dozens of people were injured after a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ER experienced sudden extreme turbulence about 10 hours into a flight from London to Singapore. The plane was diverted to Bangkok, where it landed, and 71 people, including passengers and crew, were injured. Six people were seriously injured, and their nationalities included individuals from Britain, Malaysia, New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, and the United States. Additional passengers and crew were examined and treated at the airport in Bangkok. The Thai government, as well as the Singapore Ministry of Transport and the National Transportation Safety Board in the United States, pledged to investigate the incident and assist the injured.
A passenger on the flight died, while his wife was injured and taken to a hospital in Bangkok. The average flight time on this route is just under 13 hours, and the airport director described the scene on the plane as chaotic. The turbulence occurred over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar at an altitude of 37,000 feet. The pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted the flight to Bangkok, where about 100 uninjured passengers were to be flown to Singapore the next day. The cause of the turbulence and subsequent injuries was unclear, but satellite data showed the atmosphere was becoming unstable over Myanmar and the plane was moving towards developing storms along the coast.
Deaths caused by turbulence are rare, with the last reported fatality on an American airline due to turbulence occurring in 1997. Recent research suggests that turbulence incidents are on the rise, with climate change, particularly elevated carbon dioxide emissions, being a contributing factor. Turbulence, especially clear-air turbulence at high altitudes, can occur suddenly without warning, making it necessary for passengers to keep their seatbelts on even when there is no apparent turbulence. A pilot with Icelandic airline Play shared his experience of severe turbulence on a flight decades ago, highlighting the potential dangers of such incidents.
Singapore’s Minister for Transport expressed deep sadness over the incident, and Singapore Airlines extended condolences to the family of the deceased passenger, apologizing for the traumatic experience suffered by passengers and crew. The airline pledged to cooperate with investigations into the incident. Several reporters contributed to the coverage of this event, shedding light on the importance of understanding and addressing the risks associated with in-flight turbulence incidents. Authorities worldwide are committed to ensuring passenger safety and investigating the factors that led to the tragic outcome on the London to Singapore flight diverted to Bangkok.
