1 dead, multiple injured after Singapore Airlines flight encounters 'severe turbulence'

One person died and multiple others were injured after a Singapore Airlines flight hit “severe turbulence” during a long-haul flight, the airline said in a Facebook statement May 21.

Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 departed from London on May 20 with a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew members on board.

The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft was headed to Singapore but diverted to Bangkok on May 21 after encountering severe turbulence, the airline said.

The airline confirmed there were “injuries” and “one fatality” on board.

In its initial statement, Singapore Airlines shared “its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased.”

In a press conference on May 21, Kittipong Kittikachorn, general manager of Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport, shared more details about the incident.

He said the person who died on the flight was 73 years old. Kittikachorn said the cause of the person's death had not yet been confirmed but told reporters it was believed the deceased had suffered a heart attack.

Kittikachorn also confirmed there were seven people on board with "critical injuries," 23 people with "immediate" injuries, 16 people with minor injuries who were sent to a hospital, and 14 people with minor injuries who remained at the airport.

He said passengers from the flight were in a holding area and having a meal before catching a later flight to Singapore.

Kittikachorn did not go into detail about the next steps of investigating the incident.

On May 21, Boeing shared a statement about the incident on X.

"We are in contact with Singapore Airlines regarding flight SQ321 and stand ready to support them," Boeing's statement read. "We extend our deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one, and our thoughts are with the passengers and crew."

This incident comes as Boeing faces a federal investigation and possible criminal charges over the safety of its planes.

There is currently no indication that the Singapore Airlines incident was caused by a malfunction of the Boeing jet involved.

Severe turbulence has been linked to injuries on flights in the past.

In March 2024, several people were injured and taken to local hospitals after a United Airlines flight encountered high winds and turbulence en route from Tel Aviv to Newark, New Jersey.

In 2022, 36 people were injured on a Hawaiian Airlines flight from Phoenix to Honolulu after the aircraft encountered rough turbulence shortly before landing.

And in 2019, at least five people were injured on board a Delta Air Lines flight traveling from California to Seattle due to extreme turbulence, which forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing.

While the details of the recent Singapore Airlines incident are unknown, the Federal Aviation Administration has shared general tips in the past for staying safe during turbulence on flights.

The FAA says injuries from unexpected turbulence can be prevented by keeping seat belts fastened at all times.

The agency also recommends that passengers follow the instructions of pilots and flight attendants and remain in their seats with seat belts fastened whenever the seat belt sign is illuminated.

A total of 34 passengers and 129 crew members experienced "serious turbulence injuries" between 2009 and 2022, according to data from the National Transportation Safety Board.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com