Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 flight from London to Singapore faces severe turbulence, drops 7000 feet; watch video

A Boeing 777-300ER flight which is being operated by Singapore International Airlines on the London Heathrow to Singapore’s Changi International Airport route was diverted to Bangkok. The flight experienced extreme turbulence killing one person and injuring more than 71 passengers.

Singapore International Airlines announced on their Facebook page that there were 211 passengers and 18 crew members on board this flight.

What happened to the flight?

As the flight was flying over the Irrawaddy basin in Myanmar, it experienced extreme turbulence forcing the aircraft to fall 7000 feet in about three minutes. This was a steep fall which caused many passengers to suffer injuries. The flight was flying at 37,000 feet at the time of the incident. Further, according to Flight Radar24, it encountered a rapid change in vertical rate, consistent with a sudden turbulence event”.

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This ensured the flight made an emergency landing at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok. A video of the alleged incident was uploaded on micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter).

From now on i will always wear my seat belt in Flight

A plane hit severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight and was forced to make a rapid 7,000 ft descent ⚠️ pic.twitter.com/jrJxfwFBfw

— CA Chirag Chauhan (@CAChirag) May 21, 2024

Status of Passengers

Authorities at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport identified the dead passenger as a 73-year-old male British citizen. They added that while several passengers had broken arms, some escaped with minor injuries. Initially, the company stated that 30 passengers were injured but this number now stands at 71. The injured passengers were treated at the Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital. Other passengers boarded the flight to their onward destination.

During flight turbulence, passengers normally are not hurt. In some cases, they experience minor injuries. However, in the case of extreme turbulence, grave injuries and even death are possible.

Offering his condolences, the President of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that the government is working with their counterparts in Thailand to conduct a quick investigation of the incident.

The passengers included citizens from Britain, Singapore, the US, and India among others.

Singapore International Airlines

Boeing in a statement said that it is monitoring the situation and will fully cooperate with the airline.

The airline has an excellent track record on matters of safety and its only previous accident was in 2000 when its flight SQ006 crashed in Taiwan killing 83 people on board.

FAQ’s

1. How many routes does Singapore International Airlines operate?
They fly to over 120 destinations across the world and the Changi International Airport is their base. It is regarded as one of the best airlines and airports in the world.

2. Where did this incident happen?
The flight was flying over Myanmar when the turbulence hit the flight. This happens when air is rising in contrasting ways. It is when hot air and cold air, one rising and the other descending.