An Australian passenger, center, who was injured on a flight that was battered by severe turbulence, talks to reporters at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, Thursday, May 23, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Twenty-two passengers from a Singapore Airlines flight that was hit by turbulence on May 21, have spinal cord injuries and six have brain and skull injuries, according to media reports.

Twenty people remained in intensive care, although none were life-threatening cases, reported The Straits Times, citing Adinun Kittiratanapaibool, director of Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital.

The oldest patient at the hospital is 83, while the youngest is a two-year-old child who suffered a concussion.

He added that there were 40 patients from Flight SQ321 at the hospital. The London to Singapore flight made an emergency landing in Bangkok.

Nearly 60 passengers were injured after the flight on May 21 encountered “sudden extreme turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure”.

Forty-six passengers and two crew members aboard the SIA flight remain in the Thai capital for medical treatment.

Sixty-five passengers and two crew members were still in Bangkok, said SIA in a Facebook post at 9.31pm on May 23.

The pilot diverted the Boeing 777-300ER carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport at 3.45pm (4.45pm Singapore time), making an emergency landing.

Flight SQ321, which was heading to Singapore from London, experienced sudden extreme turbulence on May 21. Briton Geoffrey Kitchen, 73, died during the turbulence, reportedly due to a heart attack.

It added that SIA chief executive Goh Choon Phong has been “meeting the affected passengers, crew, their family members and loved ones in Bangkok today to personally offer his support and to understand their concerns”.

Also, customer care representatives, who are staff volunteers with training to handle such situations, have been deployed to provide updates to passengers, and to help them if needed.

Goh said, “We have also facilitated the travel of their family members and loved ones to Bangkok and ensured that they are taken care of too.” He also thanked the staff at Bangkok Hospital, Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, and Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital, where the injured passengers and crew are believed to be hospitalised.

Singapore Airlines is in contact with all the passengers and crew members who are still in Bangkok. Customer Care Representatives, who are staff volunteers trained for such situations, have been assigned to provide updates and the necessary support and assistance to each passenger during this difficult time.

Singapore/Bangkok:

There were at least three Indian nationals among the 229 people aboard the Singapore Airlines flight that encountered a “sudden extreme turbulence” over the Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet, the flag carrier of Singapore said on Tuesday.

The traumatic incident in which the aircraft descended 6,000 feet in about three minutes, left a 73-year-old British man dead and more than two dozen other passengers injured.

The British man, who was not yet identified, “likely” died from a heart attack, the General Manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport Kittipong Kittikachorn said.

Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight SQ321, operating from London (Heathrow) to Singapore on May 20 encountered “sudden extreme turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure,” the carrier said.

The pilot declared a medical emergency and diverted the aircraft to Bangkok, and landed on May 21. “We can confirm that there were multiple injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft,” the carrier said in a Facebook post.

A total of 18 individuals had been hospitalised. Another 12 were being treated in hospitals. The remaining passengers and crew were being examined and given treatment, where necessary, at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Singapore Airlines said.

There were a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board, it said.

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.

Authorities have not released details of the injured passengers and crew or their nationalities.

“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.

“We are providing all necessary assistance during this difficult time. We are working with our colleagues and the local authorities in Thailand to provide the necessary assistance,” it said.

Singapore Airlines was using a 16-year-old 777 model for the SQ321 service hit by severe turbulence.

A Singapore Airlines team is on its way to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed. SIA is working with the relevant authorities on the investigation into this incident.

Relatives seeking information may call the Singapore Airlines hotlines at 65 6542 3311 (Singapore), 1800-845-313 (Australia), and 080-0066-8194 (the United Kingdom), the carrier said.

Singapore’s new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong extended his condolences to “family members and loved ones of the deceased.” “Unfortunately, we are marking Vesak Day this year with news of the incident on the SQ321 flight earlier today. We are all saddened and shocked by what happened,” he said in a Facebook post.

He added that Singapore is working closely with the Thai authorities and “doing everything we can to support the passengers and crew”.

“We pray for their safe return and smooth recovery for those who are injured. We are still getting more information from Bangkok and will provide further updates in due course,” he said.

US aircraft manufacturer Boeing extended its condolences to the family of the British man who died aboard SQ321, a Boeing 777-300ER.

“We are in contact with Singapore Airlines regarding flight SQ321 and stand ready to support them,” Boeing said on X.

With light and moderate turbulence passengers might feel a strain against their seatbelt, and unsecured items could move around the cabin. But in severe cases turbulence can throw passengers around the cabin, causing severe injuries and occasionally death, CNN reported.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Representational file image.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

A Singapore Airlines flight from London made an emergency landing in Bangkok on May 21 due to severe turbulence, the airline said, with one passengers on board dead and injuries reported.

Singapore Airlines did not say how many people were injured. Multiple Thai media reports said there were 30 injuries.

The Boeing 777-300ER plane with 211 passengers and 18 crew was headed to Singapore when it made the emergency landing, the airline said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport said that medical team was on standby.

“Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft,” the airline said.

“We are working with the local authorities in Thailand to provide the necessary medical assistance.”

Representational file image.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

A Singapore Airlines flight from London made an emergency landing in Bangkok on May 21 due to severe turbulence, the airline said, with one passengers on board dead and injuries reported.

Singapore Airlines did not say how many people were injured. Multiple Thai media reports said there were 30 injuries.

The Boeing 777-300ER plane with 211 passengers and 18 crew was headed to Singapore when it made the emergency landing, the airline said in a statement.

A spokesperson for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport said that medical team was on standby.

“Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft,” the airline said.

“We are working with the local authorities in Thailand to provide the necessary medical assistance.”