One passenger is dead and 53 are injured after a Singapore Airlines 777 flight encountered severe and sudden turbulence enroute to Singapore.
One Dead, 53 Injured After Severe Turbulence On Singapore Airlines 777 Flight
Last night, on May 20, 2024, Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 took off from London Heathrow (LHR) bound for Singapore (SIN). The flight was operated by a Boeing 777-300 (registration number 9V-SWM) with 211 passengers and 18 crewmembers onboard.
Approximately two hours before arrival, the aircraft encountered severe turbulence, so severe it led to the death of one onboard and the injuries of 53 others (at this point, we still do not know the extent of those injuries). Per Singapore Airlines:
We can confirm that there are injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER. There were a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board. Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are working with the local authorities in Thailand to provide the necessary medical assistance, and sending a team to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed.
Why Thailand? After the incident the aircraft diverted to Bangkok (BKK), arriving at 3:45 pm local time. The aircraft remains on the ground at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Dzafran Azmir, 28, a passenger onboard, offered the following account:
“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 seatbelts was launched immediately into the ceiling.”
“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.”
The deceased passenger has been identified as a 73-year-old British man, who died from a heart attack purportedly triggered by the turbulence.
Pictures And Videos Emerge
Pictures and video from onboard are now emerging, demonstrating the tremendous impact of the turbulence:
Images have emerged from inside SQ321 after hitting severe turbulence while enroute to Singapore, killing one passenger. https://t.co/sPhFfVr1Tb pic.twitter.com/IngvtijtAD
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) May 21, 2024
MatichonOnline pic.twitter.com/NBavrogRcU
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) May 21, 2024
https://twitter.com/manishasinghal/status/1792880787664044275
นาทีชีวิต! เปิดภาพเครื่องบิน SQ321 #สิงคโปร์แอร์ไลน์ หลังตกหลุมอากาศ #สำนักข่าววันนิวส์ pic.twitter.com/goR14A4KSn
— ข่าวช่องวัน (@onenews31) May 21, 2024
นาทีช่วยเหลือผู้โดยสารภายใน #สิงคโปร์แอร์ไลน์ เที่ยวบิน SQ321 หลังตกหลุมอากาศรุนแรงลงจอดฉุกเฉินที่สนามบินสุวรรณภูมิ เมื่อเวลา 15.40 ของวันนี้ เบื้องต้นพบผู้เสียชีวิตเป็นชาวต่างชาติ 1 คน #ทันโลกกับไทยพีบีเอส #ThaiPBS #singaporeairlines #SQ pic.twitter.com/PHBYpAsGzY
— ทันโลกกับThaiPBS (@TanlokeThaiPBS) May 21, 2024
CONCLUSION – Seatbelt Warning
The takeaway from this story and every turbulence story is that you put your seatbelt on when seated. Always. It does not matter if the seatbelt sign is on, because turbulence can hit unexpectedly. And when it does, it can be deadly. Let SQ321 testify to that.
I’ve written a lot of stories about injuries that have resulted from sudden turbulence, but never about a passenger who died as a result. If you’ve never encountered severe turbulence onboard, consider yourself blessed: I have and it’s like being on a roller coaster, which is never a pleasant experience when it is unplanned.
I pray for peace and comfort for the family of the deceased. What a sad way to go.
Agree 100% that while seated, seatbelts should be used all the time. Now, the problem is that many times the seatbelt sign is off and passengers go to the bathroom and often times there are lines waiting for the bathroom. No seatbelts there so you may be very unlucky if there is turbulence.
Might be a good time to repost that excellent story you did on the types of turbulence. As much as I fly, I still never get used to it and grab my seat.
It always bothers me when seatmates don’t keep their belt fastened during the entire flight when seated.
Prayers for the injured and deceased. The aircraft damage looks horrific. One can imagine how many were spared by wearing seatbelts.
Only last year a fellow Maryland resident died as a result of unexpected turbulence flying on a private jet from New England to Leesburg Virginia. The seatbelt is your friend.
Obviously at times you have to get up but too many people just don’t wear the seat belt and sometimes you have to pay the price for not wearing it.
Everyone says to keep your seatbelt on. Fine. But sometimes you need to use the lavatory. And sometimes you need to get something from the overhead bins. And sometimes on a long flight you just need to get up and stretch. So it’s not always possible to stay buckled up the whole time
And we must remember, as tragic as it is, turbulence of this sort js extraordinarily rare.
I think we all agree that when on your seat, seatbelts should always be used. But as you described, on a 12 hour flight, it is absolutely impossible to be seated the entire time. Seatbelts sign will usually be off for most of the flight so on the times you are not on your seat there is nothing you can do to avoid a sudden turbulence.
Read much? Keep your seatbelts fastened WHENEVER SEATED. No one is saying you can’t visit the lavatory or move about the cabin.
Very sad to be reading this and the fatality – wondering though would the plane interior not be built to a standard where ceiling panels do not fall down as shown in the galley section (unless something was hitting the ceiling)?
Had it ever happened where people waiting to get into the forward lavitatory unwittingly lean on the cockpit door while waiting?
The eyewitness around was interesting because it seems to describe a significant increase in the angle of attack, followed by severe buffeting (as you would experience as you approach a stall), followed by a stall. No, I don’t know that’s what it was so you keyboard captains out there can stand down. But the description sure seems to fit.
The investigation will prove very interesting to be sure.
Look at the damage inside, but no -at least no severe – damage to the airframe.
I flew some years ago from BKK to MNL in a Philippine Airlines A330 and we had heavy turbulences.
The plane twisted in on itself and the wings were up and down. I thought it would soon be over. Others crossed themselves.
It’s amazing what the fuselages can withstand.
@Maryland … agree with your wishes for the safety others . Have you knowledge of the reasons for the deceased from turbulence ? Curious to know . I am aware of a man who was hit by lightening and regained consciousness and lived , albeit with associated medical problems .
@Maryland … Agree with your wishes for the safety of others . Have you knowledge of the reasons for dying from turbulence ? Curious to know . I am aware of a man who was hit by lightening and regained consciousness and lived , albeit with associated medical problems .
@Maryland … +1 . Reply to your comment below .
Daily Mail.com UK News has some video of the aftermath at BKK .
My condolences to the families of the man who passed and to those who were injured. As others have posted, I always wear my seatbelt when seated on a plane. I’ve also experienced heavy turbulence and will never forget it. I’ll be curious to read more about the damage, and what can be learned from this tragedy.
As to the Maryland resident? It was injury. Very sad story.
@Andreas … I rode a plane during a typhoon in the same area as yourself … rather wild .
This is why you hope when they are building the plane that the safety inspectors don’t skip steps to keep the assembly line moving.