A Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok on Tuesday after encountering severe turbulence, resulting in one passenger dead and multiple injuries, according to officials.
The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, experienced a sharp drop in altitude from 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet within just five minutes as it neared Thailand, causing chaos on board. Passengers not wearing seatbelts were reportedly launched into the ceiling, hitting overhead cabins and sustaining injuries.
One passenger, 28-year-old student Dzafran Azmir, described the terrifying experience to Reuters, saying, “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.”
Thai media reports indicated that there were 30 injuries, while the airline did not specify the exact number of people injured. Medical personnel boarded the plane upon landing to assess injuries, with uninjured passengers disembarking.
Turbulence-related airline accidents are the most common type, according to a recent study by the National Transportation Safety Board. Singapore Airlines, known for its excellent safety record, has not had any major incidents in recent years. The airline’s last accident resulting in casualties was in 2000 when a flight crashed in Taiwan, killing 83 people.
The airline is currently working with local authorities in Thailand to provide necessary medical assistance to those affected by the incident. Boeing, the aircraft manufacturer, has not yet commented on the emergency landing.