Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence, one passenger dead, seven critically injured
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Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence, one passenger dead, seven critically injured
BANGKOK (Reuters) - One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines (SIAL.SI), opens new tab flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said.
"Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. We deeply apologise for the traumatic experience that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight," the airline said, adding it was working with Thai authorities to provide all necessary assistance.
The flight fell into an air pocket while cabin crew was serving breakfast before it encountered turbulence, prompting the pilots to request an emergency landing, Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn told a press conference.
A 73-year-old British man died during the incident, likely due to a heart attack, he said. Seven people were critically injured with head injuries.
Eighteen people have been hospitalised and 12 are being treated in hospitals, Singapore Airlines said.
It was not immediately possible to reconstruct the incident from publicly available tracking data, but a spokesperson for FlightRadar 24 said it was analysing data at around 07:49 GMT which shows the plane tilting upwards and return to its cruising altitude over the space of a minute.
A passenger who was on the flight told Reuters that the incident involved the sensation of rising then falling.
"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 a seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling," Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student on board the flight told Reuters.
