Singapore Airlines flight – latest: Turbulence leaves 20 still in intensive care as Brit who died named
Six Britons are among around 20 passengers still fighting for their lives after the turbulence-hit Singapore Airlines flight, a hospital in Bangkok has said.
The London-Singapore flight on a Boeing 777-300ER diverted to Bangkok for an emergency landing on Tuesday after the aircraft was buffeted by turbulence that flung passengers and crew around the cabin, slamming some into the ceiling.
Singapore’s prime minister has promised a “thorough investigation” after a British man died while 79 passengers and six crew members were injured during the incident.
The passenger who died has been named as 73-year-old Geoffrey Kitchen. Mr Kitchen suffered a suspected heart attack on the flight, according to a spokesperson for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport where the plane was diverted.
On Wednesday, Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, where most of the injured were taken, said 20 people were being treated in intensive care.
Singapore Airlines’ chief executive has issued a video apology to all the passengers on board. “We are very sorry for the traumatic experience that everyone on board SQ321 went through,” Goh Choon Phong said.
Were you on the flight? Email alexander.ross@independent.co.uk
Key Points
Six Britons in intensive care
Musical director named as Briton killed in Singapore Airline turbulence
Passenger speaks of horror of people 'going completely horizontal’
Shaken passengers arrive in Singapore after deadly turbulence-stricken flight
Singapore prime minister promises ‘thorough investigation’
Injured wife of British man killed in Singapore Airlines flight turbulence informed of his death
05:26 , Namita Singh
The severely injured wife of the man killed in Singapore Airlines flight turbulence has been informed about his death as she recuperates in hospital.
Linda Kitchen and Geoffrey Kitchen were traveling from the UK for a holiday across Asia and Australia when the flight plummeted 6,000 feet in an air pocket on Tuesday.
“The tragic news was broken to her this morning. They were such a devoted couple, you can’t imagine what it must be like for her,” an unnamed family friend told the Daily Mail.
“She was woozy with painkillers and she’s going for a second scan,” the person added.
“She has spinal and shoulder injuries. I think she was unconscious when they got her off the plane.”
Pilot ‘did well’ to land plane in difficult conditions
05:00 , Namita Singh
The passenger Josh Silverstone said the crew had been “amazing” and the pilot “did well” to land the plane in such difficult conditions.
“I was scared of flying before and more now,” he said.
‘I am lucky to be able to walk'
05:00 , Jabed Ahmed
Josh Silverstone, 24 from south London, woke up on the floor of the plane.
“I (...) didn’t realise what happened. I must have got hit in the head somewhere. Lots of people hit their head. Everyone was bleeding,” he said as he left the hospital on Wednesday evening after being treated.
He had a cut on his eye.
He had been heading to Singapore for a holiday before meeting friends in Bali. He said he still hoped to make it to the Indonesian island.
Many passengers in the hospital still being treated had spinal injuries.
“I am lucky to be able to walk,” he said.
‘I am lucky to be able to walk’
04:57 , Namita Singh
Josh Silverstone, 24 from south London, woke up on the floor of the plane.
“I (...) didn’t realise what happened. I must have got hit in the head somewhere. Lots of people hit their head. Everyone was bleeding,” he told Reuters as he left the hospital yesterday evening after being treated. He had a cut on his eye.
He had been heading to Singapore for a holiday before meeting friends in Bali. He said he still hopes to make it to the Indonesian island.
Many passengers in the hospital still being treated had spinal injuries.
“I am lucky to be able to walk,” he said.
‘I don’t want to scare you’: Distressing text sent by Singapore Airline passenger to terrified mother
04:00 , Jabed Ahmed
A man messaged his mother “I don’t want to scare you” from the Singapore Airlines flight when the plane was hit by severe turbulence.
Josh Barker was among 211 passengers and 18 crew onboard the flight heading from London to Singapore when it was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok amid extreme weather conditions.
Read the full report here:
Distressing text message sent by Singapore Airline passenger to terrified mother
‘Ever single cabin crew person I saw was injured'
03:00 , Jabed Ahmed
British passenger Andrew Davies told Sky News that the seatbelt sign had come on just before the turbulence, but crew members didn’t have time to take their seats.
“Every single cabin crew person I saw was injured in some way or another, maybe with a gash on their head,” Davies said. “One had a bad back, who was in obvious pain.”
‘Popular and kind’ musical theatre director died on Singapore Airlines flight on ‘last big holiday’ with wife
02:00 , Jabed Ahmed
Tributes have poured in for Geoffrey Kitchen, the 73-year-old Briton who died on board the Boeing 777-300ER plane.
Stephen Kitchen, Kitchen’s first cousin, said he and his wife, Linda, had been looking forward to their six-week holiday together.
He told The Independent: “We were a bit shocked, I still am. I’m trying to touch base with Linda. I sent a message.
“They were looking forward to the holiday. They are travellers, they do quite a lot of these things, quite adventurous. It was sort of going to be their last big holiday. It would have been nice to see them before they went. It was a tour around Asia.”
Read the full story here:
‘Kind’ actor died on Singapore Airlines flight on ‘last big holiday’ with wife
Watch: Singapore Airlines CEO’s apology
01:00 , Jabed Ahmed
Watch: Singapore Airlines passenger describes ‘traumatic’ turbulent flight
Wednesday 22 May 2024 23:59 , Jabed Ahmed
Explainer: How is climate change contributing to clean air turbulence?
Wednesday 22 May 2024 23:00 , Simon Calder
Emerging evidence suggests the temperature changes caused by the climate crisis are disrupting the flow of air currents in the atmosphere due to changes in wind speed and direction.
“Climate change is going to have many effects on aviation. We expect the atmosphere to become more turbulent. So there could be possibly twice or three times as much turbulence on flights in the next few decades,” Paul Williams, professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, previously told The Independent.
“We know that the jet stream at flight cruising altitudes has become 15 per cent more sheared over the North Atlantic since satellites began observing it in the 1970s,” Dr Williams said.
A 2017 study published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences, looked at the impact of stronger wind shear – an abrupt change in wind speed or direction over a short distance that is a major cause of turbulence – on winter-time transatlantic flights.
It found that the doubling of global CO2 levels will increase the average amount of severe CAT at 39,000ft by 149 per cent, meaning airline passengers will have a bumpier ride in the future if emissions continue unabated.
Explainer: What is clear air turbulence and how did it affect the Singapore Airlines flight?
Wednesday 22 May 2024 22:00 , Simon Calder
According to the US National Weather Service, clear air turbulence “is caused by abrupt, irregular movements of air that create sharp, quick updrafts/downdrafts. These updrafts and downdrafts occur in combinations and move aircraft unexpectedly.”
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defines clear air turbulence as “sudden severe turbulence occurring in cloudless regions that causes violent buffeting of aircraft… CAT is especially troublesome because it is often encountered unexpectedly and frequently without visual clues to warn pilots of the hazard.”
It is usually very rare for a fatality to occur as a result of turbulence.
Writing for the British Airline Pilots’ Association (Balpa), former pilot and flight safety specialist Steve Landells says: “The injuries we see tend to occur when people aren’t strapped in. This may be because the turbulence is encountered without warning but we also see quite a lot of people hurt because they don’t obey the ‘fasten seat belt’ instructions.
Cabin crew are particularly vulnerable.
Experts from around the world begin probe of deadly turbulence
Wednesday 22 May 2024 21:00 , Jabed Ahmed
Earlier today, investigators arrived in Bangkok to learn how and why severe turbulence sent a Singapore Airlines plane into a sudden dive.
Officers from Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau arrived in Bangkok late on Tuesday, Singapore Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said.
He added that the US National Transportation Safety Board is also sending an accredited representative and four technical advisors to support the investigation because the incident involved a Boeing plane.
Read the full report here:
Singapore Airlines: Experts from around the world begin probe of deadly turbulence
‘I don’t want to scare you’: Distressing text sent by Singapore Airline passenger to terrified mother
Wednesday 22 May 2024 20:00 , Jabed Ahmed
A man messaged his mother “I don’t want to scare you” from the Singapore Airlines flight when the plane was hit by severe turbulence.
Josh Barker was among 211 passengers and 18 crew onboard the flight heading from London to Singapore when it was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok amid extreme weather conditions.
Read the full report here:
Distressing text message sent by Singapore Airline passenger to terrified mother
The situation inside the plane was ‘sheer terror'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 19:00 , Jabed Ahmed
Passenger Beverley Mayers, who was not injured, described the situation inside the plane as “sheer terror.”
“The whole plane was shuddering ... great pieces were falling off and dropping on the floor, people getting hit in the head,” she told Australia’s TV Channel 9 on arrival at Sydney airport.
Passengers speaking to the media
Wednesday 22 May 2024 18:29 , Alex Ross
Today, reporters have been stationed outside hospitals in Bangkok waiting to speak to passengers who were on the flight.
‘Ever single cabin crew person I saw was injured'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 17:35 , Alex Ross
British passenger Andrew Davies told Sky News that the seatbelt sign had come on just before the turbulence, but crew members didn’t have time to take their seats.
“Every single cabin crew person I saw was injured in some way or another, maybe with a gash on their head,” Davies said. “One had a bad back, who was in obvious pain.”
Crew have been ‘amazing'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 16:45 , Alex Ross
Among the distress over the experience faced by people on the Singapore Airlines flight, there has been some praise for crew members.
Passenger Josh Silverstone said the crew had been “amazing” and the pilot “did well” to land the plane in such difficult conditions.
Another passenger, Andrew Davies, wrote on X: “Singapore Airlines couldn’t have been more accommodating. Very impressed. Thoughts with others worse off than me. Ultimately- I am just a delayed business passenger.”
‘It was a very, very traumatic experience'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 16:12 , Alex Ross
Tracking data captured by FlightRadar24 showed Tuesday’s flight cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,300 meters).At one point, the Boeing 777-300ER suddenly and sharply descended to 31,000 feet (9,400 meters) over about three minutes, according to the data.
The aircraft then stayed at 31,000 feet for under 10 minutes before diverting and landing in Bangkok less than a half-hour later.
Newlyweds Ali and Ramiza Bukhari, who were flying back from their honeymoon, told reporters at Sydney Airport late Wednesday that they were relieved to be back in Australia.“It was a very, very traumatic experience. It’s hard for me to describe into words. No one expects that really, you know,” Ali Bukhari said.
‘I am lucky to be able to walk'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 15:45 , Alex Ross
Josh Silverstone, 24 from south London, woke up on the floor of the plane.
“I (...) didn’t realise what happened. I must have got hit in the head somewhere. Lots of people hit their head. Everyone was bleeding,” he said as he left the hospital on Wednesday evening after being treated.
He had a cut on his eye.
He had been heading to Singapore for a holiday before meeting friends in Bali. He said he still hoped to make it to the Indonesian island.
Many passengers in the hospital still being treated had spinal injuries.
“I am lucky to be able to walk,” he said.
UK Civil Aviation Authority statement
Wednesday 22 May 2024 15:25 , Alex Ross
A spokesman for the UK Civil Aviation Authority said: “Our deepest condolences go out to all those who have been affected.
“Accidents of this nature are extremely rare and aviation remains one of the safest forms of travel.”
Aviation consultant says such incidents are ‘limited'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 15:10 , Alex Ross
Aviation consultant John Strickland said that “turbulence happens” but, even with millions of flights each year, incidents are “limited” and “fatalities are rare”.
He said: “Exposure is greater in different parts of the world.
“The South Atlantic, Africa and the Bay of Bengal are all places that spring to mind where there’s a greater incidence.
“There are discussions about whether climate change is influencing an increase in occurrences.”
‘He was the most wonderful human being'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 14:52 , Alex Ross
Geoff Kitchen, 73, suffered a suspected heart attack on the Singapore Airlines flight from Heathrow.
Lizzie Atkins, a friend of Mr Kitchen, said he and his wife had been planning to go on a cruise in Indonesia before travelling to Australia, describing the pair as “adventurous travellers”.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I just can’t believe that I’m having to do this. He was the most wonderful human being that you could ever know, really one of the top ones – he was stable and reliable and you always knew you were in safe hands with Geoff. He was just a remarkable man, really.
“He had a really dry sense of humour and he had a twinkle in his eye. Every time you saw him you just knew he was going to make a funny joke.”
Geoffrey Kitchen ‘died from suspected heart attack'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 14:00 , Alex Ross
As reported, Geoffrey Kitchen, aged 73, from Thornbury near Bristol, died on the flight as it was hit by severe turbulence.
Mr Kitchen formerly worked in the insurance industry, and in retirement was continuing his decades-long involvement with amateur theatre.
On Wednesday, a Thai airport official said Kitchen might have had a heart attack, though that hadn’t been confirmed.
‘Thrown to the roof and then to the floor’
Wednesday 22 May 2024 13:30 , Alex Ross
More tales of the drama on board the Singapore Airlines flight are being shared today by passengers.
They include an Australian who told Sky News that the seatbelt sign had come on just ahead of the turbulence, but she could not act in time because she had been asleep.Thirty-year-old Teandra Tukhunen, speaking from a hospital with her left arm in a sling, said she had been “thrown to the roof and then to the floor.”“It was just so quick, over in a couple of seconds and then you’re just shocked. Everyone’s pretty freaked out,” she said.
Six Britons in intensive care
Wednesday 22 May 2024 13:00 , Alex Ross
Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, where most of the injured were taken, said 20 people were being treated in intensive care while 27 others have been discharged.
The intensive care patients include six Britons, six Malaysians, three Australians, two Singaporeans and one person each from Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the Philippines, it said.
The hospital said nine people underwent surgery Tuesday and five more operations were expected to be completed Wednesday.
It said it had provided 104 people with medical care, including 19 at its clinic at the airport.
The investigation - wo is taking part?
Wednesday 22 May 2024 12:25 , Alex Ross
Aviation investigators have arrived in Bangkok to learn how and why severe turbulence sent a Singapore Airlines plane into a sudden dive that tossed passengers and crew around the cabin.
Officers from Singapore‘s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau arrived in Bangkok late Tuesday, Singapore Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said on Wednesday.
He added that the US National Transportation Safety Board is also sending an accredited representative and four technical advisors to support the investigation because the incident involved a Boeing plane.
‘Ordeal nearly over'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 11:50 , Alex Ross
Andrew Davies was among those onboard the Boeing 777-300ER when the flight was forced to make an emergency landing after severe turbulence.
Landing in Bangkok, he took to social media, and wrote on X: “I was on that flight and helped as much as I could. Those not injured (including me) are in a holding area at Bangkok airport. My heart goes out to the gentleman who lost his life and his poor wife. Awful experience.”
But today, he updated those who contacted him to say he was now travelling onto New Zealand.
He wrote: “Thanks for all the nice posts and personal messages. Ordeal nearly over. Waiting to travel on to NZ from Singapore. Singapore Airlines couldn’t have been more accommodating. Very impressed. Thoughts with others worse off than me. Ultimately- I am just a delayed business passenger.”
‘Proper investigation’ required, says Simon Calder
Wednesday 22 May 2024 11:34 , Alex Ross
As officials begin their investigation into what happened on the Singapore Airlines flight that made an emergency landing in Bangkok after severe turbulence, The Independent’s travel correspondent expressed his concern on the incident.
Speaking to GB News, he said: “This particular event, you have a combination of extremely violent turbulence and a lot of movement. It was extremely distressing, and so many injuries as well as the loss of Mr Kitchen.”
He added: “Such tragic circumstances, and clearly it needs to be properly investigated to find out what the sequence of events were. I think it could also lead possibly to some rather different ways of flying [such as wearing of seatbelts at all times].”
More tributes to Geoffrey Kitchen
Wednesday 22 May 2024 11:15 , Alex Ross
Tributes have flooded in for Geoffrey Kitchen, who died after the Singapore Airlines flight he was on was hit severe turbulence.
The retired insurance worker had been a member of Thornbury Musical Theatre Group for 35 years, which was part of the Noda group.
In a statement, Noda said: “It is with great sadness that we learn of Geoff Kitche’s death in such tragic circumstances.
“He was a prominent and longstanding member of Thornbury Musical Theatre, having served in many offices on the committee as well as on stage. His love and passion for the theatre will be greatly missed by all who knew him.”
More passengers flying on to Singapore today
Wednesday 22 May 2024 11:04 , Alex Ross
Singapore Airlines has said an additional five passengers on board the flight that was hit by severe turbulence will head to Singapore today.
The flight made an emergency landing in Bangkok after it plunged 600ft within minutes amid extreme weather.
More than 140 passengers and crew have already continued their journey to the flight’s destination of Singapore.
Another 74 passengers and six crew members are still in Bangkok, including those receiving medical care.
Mr Peter Seah, chairman of Singapore Airlines, said: “On behalf of the Singapore Airlines Board, I extend my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of our passenger who passed away on 21 May 2024 in the SQ321 incident.
“I assure all passengers and crew members who were on board the aircraft that we are committed to supporting them during this difficult time.”
‘I saw people from across the aisle going completely horizontal'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 10:40 , Alex Ross
More than 140 passengers and crew from a Singapore Airlines flight hit by heavy turbulence that left dozens injured and one dead finally reached Singapore on a relief flight Wednesday morning after an emergency landing in Bangkok
Among them was student Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student who described the conditions on board.
“I saw people from across the aisle going completely horizontal, hitting the ceiling and landing back down in like really awkward positions. People, like, getting massive gashes in the head, concussions,” he said.
20 people in intensive care at hospital in Bangkok
Wednesday 22 May 2024 10:22 , Alex Ross
Twenty people onboard a Singapore Airlines flight that hit severe turbulence on Tuesday are currently under treatment in intensive care facilities, Bangkok’s Samitivej Hospital said in a statement on Wednesday.
The hospital said a total of 58 people were still under treatment at multiple medical facilities, and 27 had been discharged.
The scheduled London-Singapore flight was diverted to Bangkok after the plane was buffeted by turbulence that flung passengers and crew around the cabin, slamming some into the ceiling. One passenger died of a suspected heart attack.
How the climate crisis is making turbulence worse
Wednesday 22 May 2024 10:05 , Alex Ross
The death of a 73-year-old British man on a Singapore Airlines flight has again raised concerns about how climate change is increasing instances of flight turbulence.
Geoffrey Kitchen was among 211 passengers onboard the Boeing flight from London to Singapore when it plunged 6,000ft within minutes amid extreme weather.
Mr Kitchen was killed, while around 70 others were injured, after what passengers described a “dramatic drop” with some people’s heads slammed into the ceiling above their seats.
On Wednesday, as air safety officials started their investigation into what happened, attention has focused on the role of climate change with a growing number of studies indicating erratic air circulation patterns are being aggravated by the change in the earth’s temperatures.
How the climate crisis is making turbulence worse and flying more dangerous
Last major incident for Singapore Airlines
Wednesday 22 May 2024 09:50 , Alex Ross
Singapore Airlines, which is widely recognised as one of the world’s leading airlines and is seen as a benchmark for much of the industry, has not had any major incidents in recent years.
Its last accident resulting in casualties was a flight from Singapore to Los Angeles via Taipei, where it crashed on Oct. 31, 2000 at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, killing 83 of the 179 people on board.
Singapore Airlines shares were not trading on Wednesday because of a public holiday in Singapore.
‘Always the chances of bumps'
Wednesday 22 May 2024 09:40 , Alex Ross
A pilot has said thunderstoms in the Bay of Bengal are not a rare occurrence.
There are always the chances of bumps,” said an airline pilot who regularly flies to Singapore and Southeast Asia. The pilot declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media.
“We were about 30 miles off track flying around the thunderstorms two days ago on the way to Singapore,” the pilot added.
Sara Nelson, international president of the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, representing over 50,000 workers at 20 airlines, said it is important for passengers to wear seatbelts whenever seated.
“It is a matter of life and death,” Nelson said.
Investigation starts
Wednesday 22 May 2024 09:20 , Alex Ross
Officers from Singapore‘s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau arrived in Bangkok on Tuesday night, Singapore‘s Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said in a statement on Facebook.
As the incident involves a U.S. company, Boeing, which makes the 777-300ER aircraft, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was sending an accredited representative and four technical advisers to support the investigation, he said.
The plane encountered sudden extreme turbulence, Goh said, and the pilot then declared a medical emergency and diverted to Bangkok.
Theatre show to dedicated to flight victim Geoffrey Kitchen
Wednesday 22 May 2024 09:00 , Alex Ross
Geoffrey Kitchen, who died after the Singapore Airlines flight he was on hit severe turbulence, was a community man in his home town of Thornbury, it emerged last night.
The retired insurance worker had been a member of Thornbury Musical Theatre Group for 35 years, and had been involved in its upcoming production of Journey Back To The Future, taking place next week.
Neighbour and co-member Steve Dimond said the show would now be dedicated to him.
Mr Dimond, who has known Mr Kitchen for 11 years, told The Independent: “We will continue with the next show which will likely be done in his name.
“I’m really shocked, he’ll be badly missed. He was a kind man who in recent years, after retirement, had loved the musical theatre.”
‘Kind’ actor died on Singapore Airlines flight on ‘last big holiday’ with wife
‘Extremely kind, loving and gentle man’ - daughter’s tribute to father
Wednesday 22 May 2024 08:45 , Alex Ross
Tributes continue to be paid to Geoffrey Kitchen, 73, who died when the Singapore Airlines flight from Heathrow to Singapore was hit by severe turbulence.
His cousin, Stephen Kitchen, last night told The Independent how Mr Kitchen was flying out on a six-week holiday with his wife, Linda.
He described him as a “lovely guy”.
Mr Kitchen’s daughter, Anna Proctor, who lives in Wales, has also paid tribute.
Speaking to The Telegraph, she said he was “a wonderful man and he had years ahead of him and obviously we are completely devastated”.
She added: “He was a legend.”
Singapore prime minister promises ‘thorough investigation’
Wednesday 22 May 2024 08:23 , Namita Singh
Singapore prime minister has promised a “thorough investigation” after a British passenger identified as Geoffrey Kitchen died during turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight.
“I also hope and pray that those who are injured will recover and return home soon,” Lawrence Wong said.
Turbulence happens but fatalities are rare, says aviation consultant
Wednesday 22 May 2024 08:02 , Namita Singh
Aviation consultant John Strickland told the PA news agency that “turbulence happens” but even with millions of flights each year, incidents are “limited” and “fatalities are rare”.
He said: “Exposure is greater in different parts of the world.
“The South Atlantic, Africa and the Bay of Bengal are all places that spring to mind where there’s a greater incidence.
“There are discussions about whether climate change is influencing an increase in occurrences.”
Mr Strickland said airlines use a variety of methods to minimise the chances of a flight being affected by turbulence, such as weather forecasts, radar and reports from aircraft ahead.
‘Some people ended up doing somersaults,’ says a passenger
Wednesday 22 May 2024 07:56 , Namita Singh
A passenger traveling on Singapore Airlines to his son’s wedding said the day was “the worst of my life”.
Speaking with a bandage covering part of his head, Jerry, identified by his first name, said: “Things were going very smoothly at first. I’d just been to the loo, came back, sat down, bit of turbulence, and suddenly the plane plunged.
“I don’t know how far, but it was a long way. (It was) so sudden, there was no warning at all, and I ended up hitting my head on the ceiling, my wife did.
“Some poor people walking around ended up doing somersaults. It was absolutely terrible, and then suddenly it stopped and it was calm again, and the staff did their best to tend to the injured people.
“There were a lot of them and some of the staff are injured themselves, so they did a sterling job.”
Watch: Singapore Airlines boss apologises to passengers after deadly flight
Wednesday 22 May 2024 07:29 , Namita Singh
Watch: Singapore Airlines boss apologises to passengers after deadly flight
Singapore Airlines chief issues video apology for passengers’ ‘traumatic experience’ on deadly flight
Wednesday 22 May 2024 07:15 , Namita Singh
Singapore Airlines’ chief executive has issued a video apology to the passengers on board Tuesday’s flight battered by deadly turbulence over the Indian Ocean.
“We are very sorry for the traumatic experience that everyone on board SQ321 went through,” Goh Choon Phong said in a video shared on social media by the airline.
Mr Phong offered his condolences to the family of the British passenger who died on the flight, now identified as 73-year-old Geoffrey Kitchen. Mr Kitchen had been travelling with his wife for a planned tour of Asia, described by a member of the family as their “last big holiday” together.
Report:
Singapore Airlines chief issues apology for passengers’ ‘traumatic experience’
Tribute paid to British man, 73, who died after turbulence
Wednesday 22 May 2024 07:02 , Namita Singh
Tributes have been paid to a 73-year-old British man who died after severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight from Heathrow Airport.
The passenger, named as Geoff Kitchen, suffered a suspected heart attack on the flight, according to a spokesperson for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, where the plane was diverted to.
He added that seven other people were seriously injured, with dozens more suffering minor injuries.
Report:
Tributes paid to British man, 73, who died after turbulence on Heathrow flight
Turbulence-related airline accidents are most common type, according to study
Wednesday 22 May 2024 07:00 , Tara Cobham
Turbulence-related airline accidents are the most common type, according to a 2021 study by the US National Transportation Safety Board.
From 2009 through 2018, the US agency found that turbulence accounted for more than a third of reported airline accidents and most resulted in one or more serious injuries, but no aircraft damage. The NTSB is sending representatives to support Singapore's investigation into the incident, it said.
Singapore Airlines, which is widely recognized as one of world's leading airlines and is a benchmark for much of the industry, has not had any major incidents in recent years.
Its last accident resulting in casualties was a flight from Singapore to Los Angeles via Taipei, where it crashed on 31 October, 2000, into construction equipment on the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport after attempting to take off from the wrong runway. The crash killed 83 of the 179 people on board.
Singapore Airlines has had seven accidents according to records by the Aviation Safety Network.
Boeing said it was in touch with Singapore Airlines and was ready to provide support. It referred further questions to the airline and local authorities.
Four Irish citizens on board Singapore flight which hit severe turbulence
Wednesday 22 May 2024 06:00 , Tara Cobham
Four Irish people were on board a Singapore Airlines flight from London in which one person died and many others were injured when the plane hit severe turbulence.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that four Irish citizens were on the flight, but it is not yet known whether they were among the many injured people.
A department spokeswoman said: “We are aware that four Irish citizens were on board.”
Cate McCurry reports:
Four Irish citizens on board Singapore flight which hit severe turbulence
Briton describes screams and lacerations on chaotic flight that plunged 6,000ft in fatal turbulence
Wednesday 22 May 2024 05:42 , Namita Singh
A British passenger has described the carnage onboard the Singapore flight that dropped rapidly in turbulence killing one person and injuring dozens more.
The Boeing 777-300ER plane was en route from Heathrow to Singapore carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew when it made the emergency landing in Bangkok, the airline said in a statement.
Seven of the 30 people wounded during the flight are seriously injured, Bangkok airport’s general manager told a news conference on Wednesday.
More here:
Briton describes screams and chaos on flight that plunged 6,000ft in fatal turbulence
What is turbulence and can it cause your plane to crash?
Wednesday 22 May 2024 05:32 , Namita Singh
Encounters with extreme turbulence while in the air can be terrifying. In the last year, there have been numerous incidents, from eight passengers requiring medical assistance after their plane was struck on the way to Portugal to a British Airways flight that hit such strong severe turbulence over the Bay of Bengal that pilots had to return to the airport they’d just departed from, with several members of cabin crew reporting injuries.
Even seasoned fliers can, at times, get spooked by the mid-flight bumps and shakes, though in reality the vast majority of cases will be nothing more serious than a jiggle to your in-flight meal.
Report:
What is turbulence and can it cause your plane to crash?
Wednesday 22 May 2024 05:30 , Namita Singh
Live: View of Singapore Airlines aircraft at Thai airport after being hit by severe turbulence
Injured passengers on Singapore Airlines face varied compensation
Wednesday 22 May 2024 05:14 , Namita Singh
Passengers injured by severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight yesterday are likely eligible for compensation, but the amount each receives could differ dramatically even for identical injuries due to an international treaty.
One passenger died and the airline said 30 passengers were treated for injuries after a flight from London to Singapore made an emergency landing in Bangkok. Samitivej Hospital said it was treating 71 passengers.
Under the Montreal Convention, Singapore Airlines is liable for accidents, which can include turbulence, on international flights regardless of whether the airline was negligent, according to US aviation lawyers. If passengers file a lawsuit, the airline cannot contest damages up to around $175,000.
If a passenger seeks larger damages, Singapore Airlines can try to limit liability by proving it took all necessary measures to avoid the turbulence, said Mike Danko, a California attorney who represents passengers. He said airlines rarely prevail on such arguments.
Watch: Damage inside Singapore Airlines flight
Wednesday 22 May 2024 05:00 , Tara Cobham
Thunderstorms in Bay of Bengal increase chance of bumps, says airline pilot
Wednesday 22 May 2024 04:52 , Namita Singh
It is not a rare occurrence to meet big thunderstorms in the Bay of Bengal, said an airline pilot who regularly flies to Singapore and Southeast Asia. “There are always the chances of bumps.”
The pilot declined to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media.
“We were about 30 miles off track flying around the thunderstorms two days ago on the way to Singapore,” the pilot told Reuters.
Turbulence has many causes, most obviously the unstable weather patterns that trigger storms, but this flight could have been affected by clear air turbulence, which is difficult to detect.
Rapidly developing, explosive thunderstorms likely contributed to flight turbulence
Wednesday 22 May 2024 04:38 , Namita Singh
Rapidly developing, explosive thunderstorms near the flight path of Singapore Airlines flight 321 most likely contributed to violent turbulence, said Weather forecasting service AccuWeather.
“Developing thunderstorms often have strong updrafts, a zone of upward moving air, that rises very rapidly, sometimes at more than 100 mph, and can leave pilots will little time to react if it occurs directly in front of the plane,” said Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather’s senior director of forecasting operations.
Aircraft tracking provider FlightRadar 24 said that the flight encountered “a rapid change in vertical rate, consistent with a sudden turbulence event”, based on flight tracking data.
“There were thunderstorms, some severe, in the area at the time,” it said.
Singapore Airlines expresses condolences to family of dead British passenger
Wednesday 22 May 2024 04:17 , Namita Singh
The chief executive of Singapore Airlines posted a video message offering his condolences for the death of British national Geoffrey Kitchen.
“On behalf of Singapore Airlines, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased,” CEO Goh Choon Phong said.
Mr Kitchen was travelling with his wife when he died on board the Boeing 777-300ER plane, which was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok en route to Singapore from London yesterday after it was hit by severe turbulence.
‘I saw people across the aisle going completely horizontal’
Wednesday 22 May 2024 04:03 , Namita Singh
A passenger on board the Singapore Airlines flight has recounted the terrifying moment when passengers were thrown up from their seats during the severe turbulence.
“I saw people from across the aisle going completely horizontal, hitting the ceiling and landing back down in like really awkward positions,” Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student, told Reuters after arriving in Singapore.
“People, like, getting massive gashes in the head, concussions.”
Theatre group pays tribute to its ‘esteemed’ director
Wednesday 22 May 2024 04:00 , Tara Cobham
A theatre group has paid tribute to its “esteemed” director Geoffrey Kitchen who died on board the Singapore Airlines flight.
In a statement issued on social media on Tuesday night, the Thornbury Musical Theatre Group said: “It is with a heavy heart that we learn of the devastating news of the passing of our esteemed colleague and friend Geoff Kitchen in the recent Singapore Air Incident.
“Geoff was always a gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity and always did what was right for the group.
“His commitment to TMTG was unquestionable and he has served the group and the local community of Thornbury for over 35 years, holding various offices within the group, including Chairman, Treasurer and most recently Secretary.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and the family at this difficult time, and we ask that you respect their privacy.”
Shaken passengers arrive in Singapore after deadly turbulence-stricken flight
Wednesday 22 May 2024 03:59 , Namita Singh
More than 140 passengers and crew from a Singapore Airlines flight hit by heavy turbulence that left dozens injured and one dead finally reached Singapore on a relief flight this morning after an emergency landing in Bangkok.
The scheduled London-Singapore flight on a Boeing 777-300ER plane diverted to Bangkok after the plane was buffeted by turbulence that flung passengers and crew around the cabin, slamming some into the ceiling.
A 73-year-old British passenger died of a suspected heart attack, and at least 30 people were injured.
Photographs from the interior of the plane showed gashes in the overhead cabin panels, oxygen masks and panels hanging from the ceiling and luggage strewn around. A passenger said some people’s heads had slammed into the lights above the seats and broken the panels.
Singapore Airlines took 131 passengers and 12 crew on the relief flight from Bangkok, which reached Singapore just before 5am (2100 GMT). There were 211 passengers including many Australians, British and Singaporeans, and 18 crew onboard the original flight; injured fliers and their families remained in Bangkok.
Watch: Damage inside Singapore Airlines plane
Wednesday 22 May 2024 17:25 , Jabed Ahmed
Damage inside Singapore Airlines plane after man dies following severe turbulence
Passenger tells of ‘very dramatic drop’ on board aircraft
Wednesday 22 May 2024 03:00 , Tara Cobham
A passenger who was on the Boeing 777-300ER plane said that the incident involved the sensation of rising then falling.
"Suddenly the aircraft starts tilting up and there was shaking so I started bracing for what was happening, and very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing a seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling," Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student on board the flight told Reuters.
"Some people hit their heads on the baggage cabins overhead and dented it, they hit the places where lights and masks are and broke straight through it," he said.
How many people were injured in incident on Singapore Airlines flight
Wednesday 22 May 2024 02:00 , Tara Cobham
Some tallies of the injured out of the 211 passengers and 18 crew on the Singapore Airlines flight differed.
The airline said 18 were hospitalised and 12 are being treated in hospitals, while Samitivej Hospital said it was treating 71 passengers.
Watch: Injured passengers treated on airport tarmac
Wednesday 22 May 2024 01:00 , Tara Cobham
What is turbulence and how dangerous can it be?
Wednesday 22 May 2024 00:00 , Tara Cobham
A passenger has died and others were injured when a flight from Heathrow Airport encountered severe turbulence on its way to Singapore.
Singapore Airlines said the flight encountered “sudden extreme turbulence” over Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure, with the pilot declaring a medical emergency and diverting the plane to Bangkok.
Experts have described turbulence as “common” and asserted that it “rarely” leads to fatalities, but what is it and how dangerous can it be?
Find out here:
What is turbulence and how dangerous can it be?
Cousin missed chance to say goodbye in person to Geoffrey Kitchen
Tuesday 21 May 2024 23:00 , Alex Ross
Stephen Kitchen, Mr Kitchen’s first cousin, was due to meet him and Linda for lunch at the White Hart pub in Littleton-upon-Severn before they flew out for their holiday - but due to visa issues that needed sorting it was called off.
Stephen said he put “events together” after his wife was alerted to a news story on the tragedy by a relative.
Speaking from his home in Chepstow, Stephen said he had messaged Linda to ask her to get in touch when she could.
He said: “We were a bit shocked, I still am. I’m trying to touch base with Linda. I sent a message.
“They were looking forward to the holiday. They are travellers, they do quite a lot of these things, quite adventurous. It was sort of going to be their last big holiday. It would have been nice to see them before they went. It was a tour around Asia.
“Geoff was like myself and an only child, our fathers got on well, our families got on well. We were the end of another line but he’s got a son and daughter of course.”
Asked how he’d remember his first cousin, he said: “With fond memories, he is musical, I’m musical so we are musicals orientated but I know he was very popular in the Thornbury musical group, just a lovely guy.”
