Due to extreme turbulence, a Singapore Airlines flight from London made an emergency landing in Bangkok on Tuesday, according to officials. Multiple injuries were reported by local media, and one passenger died on the trip.
Although the exact moment of the injuries and death was not disclosed by Singapore Airlines, a passenger who spoke with Reuters claimed that turbulence caused people who were not wearing seatbelts to collide with overhead cabins.
According to claims in Thai media, there were thirty injuries; however, Singapore Airlines did not disclose the exact number of casualties.
The airline released a statement stating that the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was its route to Singapore when it made the emergency landing.
FlightRadar 24 data shows that the aircraft saw a dramatic drop in altitude from approximately 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet in only five minutes as it entered Thailand and completed its crossing of the Andaman Sea, after approximately 11 hours of flight time from takeoff in London.
Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student traveling with the aircraft, told Reuters that all of the people seated and not wearing seatbelts were launched straight into the ceiling when the aircraft began to tilt up and shake. “I started bracing for what was happening,” Azmir said.
According to him, some individuals struck their heads against the overhead baggage cabins, denting them, while others struck the areas where the masks and lights are located and broke right through.
An officer at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport reported one death but was unable to establish the overall number of injuries.
Medical staff have boarded the plane to assess casualties, according to Thai immigration police, though they were unable to establish the exact number. Passengers who were not hurt have disembarked, it said.
The airline stated, “Our top priority is to offer every assistance we can to all of the passengers and crew on board the aircraft.”
In order to deliver the required medical aid, we are collaborating with the local authorities in Thailand.
A 2021 study conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board found that airplane accidents caused by turbulent conditions are the most common category.
The U.S. government discovered that between 2009 and 2018, turbulence was the cause of over 33% of recorded airline accidents; the majority of these incidents resulted in one or more significant injuries but no damage to the aircraft.
Relative to other airlines in the sector, Singapore Airlines is regarded as one of the best in the world and has not seen any significant mishaps in the last few years.
Its last fatal accident happened on October 31, 2000, when it attempted to take off from the incorrect runway on a journey from Singapore to Los Angeles via Taipei and crashed into construction equipment at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport. Out of the 179 individuals on board, 83 perished in the collision.
The Aviation Safety Network has records of seven accidents involving Singapore Airlines. A request for comment was not immediately answered by Boeing (BA.N), opens new tab.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.