Severe turbulence on Singapore Airlines flight results in one death, multiple injuries

BANGKOK, Thailand (TND) — One person is dead and several others are injured after a Singapore Airlines flight operating from London was hit by severe turbulence Tuesday morning.

Authorities told The Associated Press the 73-year-old British man may have suffered a heart attack, though that hasn't been confirmed. His name wasn't immediately released.

"We can confirm that there are multiple injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft," the airline said on Facebook.

Officials said the Singapore-bound Boeing 777-300ER "encountered sudden extreme turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure" and was diverted back to Bangkok before landing at about 3:45 p.m. local time.

Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew at the time of the incident and confirmed that 18 people were hospitalized while another 12 were being treated at various hospitals.

The remaining passengers and crew were being examined and treated at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.

Those injured included citizens of the UK, New Zealand, Spain, the U.S., Ireland and Malaysia, Singapore Airlines noted.

"Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased," the airline wrote. "We deeply apologise for the traumatic experience that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight. We are providing all necessary assistance during this difficult time."

The company added it is working with its colleagues and local authorities in Thailand to provide assistance and a Singapore Airlines team is on the way to Bangkok to provide additional help.

The British Embassy in Thailand wrote in a post on X that it was sending consular officials in Bangkok to support British nationals affected by the incident.

Boeing stated they are in contact with the airline regarding flight SQ321 and are ready to support them.

"We are in contact with Singapore Airlines regarding flight SQ321 and stand ready to support them. We extend our deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one, and our thoughts are with the passengers and crew," an official statement from Boeing said. We'll defer to the airline and local authorities for any other information."

Tracking data captured by FlightRadar24 and analyzed by The Associated Press show the Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,300 meters).

At one point, the Boeing 777-300ER suddenly and sharply descends to 31,000 feet (9,400 meters) over the span of about three minutes, according to the data. The aircraft then stayed at 31,000 feet (9,400 meters) for under 10 minutes before diverting and landing in Bangkok less than a half-hour later.

The sharp descent in turbulence happened as the flight was over the Andaman Sea, near Myanmar. The aircraft sent a “squawk code” of 7700 at that time, an international emergency signal.

Details of the weather at the time weren't immediately revealed.

____

Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this article.

ncG1vNJzZmivmpawtcKNnKamZ56axLR7zZqroqeeYsSwvsudZqyhnpyusbvRnmSaoaKhtq%2Bx0madpaGXncFuv9BmamtpXaS7pnnDnpidZZSesrR50p6tnqqRoXqqusmuqZ6cXZaztbHRZp2loZedwW60yK1km7FdqLK3sdGeZK2topfCrbHNnJxmmp%2Batq%2BzjHBucGVjZX2mvoyer62qlaKybsPEmquhnaJisLC6w6KroqeeqHq4tc2dZJqelpqwtbHDZqeaq6Oau6ix0WaaoqaTnruvrdOiZKytppa%2Fr63BoaymoV2WtrO8zqurZp6Rqa6tecWaq5qkmanGbq7Ap56kp5s%3D