One passenger is dead and 30 more have been reported injured after severe turbulence forced the landing of an international flight operating from London Heathrow to Singapore on Tuesday.
According to a Facebook post made on Tuesday by the carrier, flight SQ321 encountered sudden extreme turbulence enroute and diverted to Bangkok, Thailand, where it landed at 3:45 p.m. local time. The post confirmed there were multiple injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew.
The post confirms that as of 7:50 p.m. Singapore time on Tuesday, 18 individuals had been hospitalized and another 12 are being treated in hospitals. The post states that the remaining passengers and crew are being examined and given treatment where necessary at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.
“Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased,” Singapore Airlines stated in the first Facebook post. “We deeply apologize for the traumatic experience that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight. We are providing all necessary assistance during this difficult time.”
A second updated Facebook post, on Tuesday gave more information about the incident, stating that the aircraft encountered extreme turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure. The pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted the aircraft to Bangkok, where it landed.
The nationalities of the passengers are as follows: 56 from Australia, 2 from Canada, 1 from Germany, 3 from India, 2 from Indonesia, 1 from Iceland, 4 from Ireland, 1 from Israel, 16 from Malaysia, 2 from Myanmar, 23 from New Zealand, 5 from the Philippines, 41 from Singapore, 1 from South Korea, 2 from Spain, 47 from the United Kingdom, and 4 from the United States of America.
The airline stated that it is working with its colleagues and the local authorities in Thailand to provide necessary assistance. Additionally, a Singapore Airlines team is on its way to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed.
Singapore Airlines stated in the post that it is working with the relevant authorities on the investigation into this incident.
According to CNN, there have been no turbulence-related deaths on commercial aircraft in over a decade. While instances of severe turbulence are rare, they are reported roughly 5,500 times per year in the U.S.
