Singapore Airlines has issued a statement following the death of a passenger on a flight from London during severe turbulence.
The airline has confirmed that one person on board flight #SQ321 has died and others have been injured after the plane, which was travelling from London to Singapore, was forced to make an emergency landing in Thailand due to extreme weather conditions on Tuesday afternoon. There were 211 passengers and 18 crew on the Boeing 777-300ER jet when it experienced severe turbulence while entering airspace in the region, which is currently experiencing extreme tropical thunderstorms.
A spokesperson for the airline said today: "Singapore Airlines flight #SQ321, operating from London (Heathrow) to Singapore on 21 May 2024, encountered severe turbulence en route. The aircraft diverted to Bangkok and landed at 1545hrs local time.
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Severe turbulence forced an emergency landing in Thailand (X)"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.
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"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. We will provide regular updates on our Facebook and X accounts."
The flight departed from Heathrow Airport on Monday evening and was due to arrive at Singapore Changi Airport at 6.10pm local time. But the aircraft was diverted to the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok where it made an emergency landing shortly before 4pm local time.
Tracking data captured by FlightRadar24 showed the Singapore Airlines flight cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,300 meters). Just after 08.00 GMT, the Boeing 777 suddenly and sharply pitched down to 31,000 feet (9,400 meters) over the span of some three minutes, the data shows.
The plane experienced turbulence around Thailand (X)The aircraft stayed at 31,000 feet (9,400 meters) for just under 10 minutes before rapidly descending and landing in Bangkok in just under half an hour. The descent happened as the flight was over the Andaman Sea approaching Myanmar.
Emergency crews from Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) away from Suvarnabhumi Airport, were on site to transfer injured passengers from Flight SQ321 from Heathrow off the runway for treatment. Videos posted on the LINE messaging platform by Suvarnabhumi Airport showed a line of ambulances streaming to the scene.
The incident comes as heavy rain was forecast in the region for yesterday and today. Meteorologists had predicted it would be occasionally thundery. This type of bad weather can lead to difficult conditions for aircraft but Singapore Airlines have not confirmed what caused the extreme turbulence.
Singapore's Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat has announced the government will provide assistance to the passengers and their families. "I am deeply saddened to learn about the incident onboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from London Heathrow to Singapore," he posted in a statement on Facebook. No further details about the passenger who died, including their age and gender, have been announced yet.
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