Bangkok, Thailand – Early investigations reveal that severe turbulence caused a Singapore Airlines flight to drop 178 feet in just 4.6 seconds, resulting in one passenger’s death and dozens of injuries. The turbulence hit the London-Singapore flight over Myanmar, forcing an emergency diversion to Bangkok.
Singaporean investigators have retrieved crucial data from the flight’s recorders. The Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) reported that rapid gravitational force changes and the sudden altitude drop likely caused injuries to passengers not wearing seatbelts.
The aircraft was cruising at 37,000 feet when it encountered turbulent “developing convective activity.”
The incident led to a controlled descent and landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok. Medical services were on standby to treat the injured. Among the 211 passengers and 18 crew members, British passenger Geoff Kitchen, 73, died from a suspected heart attack. Over 100 passengers were treated for injuries, including skull, brain, and spinal injuries.
Passenger Ali Bukhari described the chaos: “It was like going down a vertical roller coaster. Oxygen masks deployed, and many passengers hit the ceiling due to the turbulence.”
Singapore Airlines is covering medical expenses and providing support to affected passengers and crew. The airline expressed gratitude for the assistance from Singaporean and Thai authorities and medical teams.
TSIB continues to investigate the incident, emphasizing the importance of seatbelt use during flights.
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