More than 140 passengers and crew that were on a Singapore Airlines flight that made an emergency landing in Bangkok due to severe turbulence have arrived safely in Singapore. A passenger died and 30 others were injured on the London to Singapore flight, which encountered sudden extreme turbulence about 10 hours after departing from Heathrow Airport. The Boeing 777-300ER carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members was flying over the Irrawaddy Basin at an altitude of 37,000 feet when the turbulence occurred. A 73-year-old British national died from a suspected heart attack during the incident, while at least 30 others were injured.
The relief flight carrying 131 passengers and 12 crew members arrived in Singapore early Wednesday morning, while 79 passengers and six crew members from the original flight remained in Bangkok. The pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted the plane to Bangkok, where it arrived at 3:45 p.m. local time. Singapore Airlines’ CEO expressed his deepest condolences to the family of the deceased passenger and apologized for the trauma experienced by everyone on board. The airline is fully cooperating with authorities in the investigation into the incident.
More than a quarter of the passengers on flight SQ321 were from Australia, with others coming from the UK, Singapore, New Zealand, and Malaysia. Singapore Airlines is cooperating with authorities in the investigation and Boeing has offered support following the incident. The last recorded accident fatalities for Singapore Airlines’ flights were in October 2000. The Singapore stock market was closed on Wednesday for the Vesak Day holiday. In addition, the Aviation Safety Network has recorded seven incidents involving Singapore Airlines.
SIA has confirmed that they received the aircraft in 2008. The passengers and crew who were receiving medical care in Bangkok were included among the 79 who remained in the city. The remaining individuals were family members and loved ones of those on the flight. SIA has expressed deep apologies for the entire situation and has offered support to those affected. The airline is working with authorities and is dedicated to finding out the cause of the turbulence in order to prevent future incidents.
The arrival of the passengers and crew in Singapore marked the end of a traumatic experience caused by the sudden turbulence. The airline is working to ensure the well-being of all those affected and continues to support those who were injured or remain in Bangkok. The incident has led to further investigation into aviation safety and turbulence avoidance measures. Despite the tragic outcome, the passengers and crew were fortunate to have made it safely to their destination after the emergency landing in Bangkok.
