THE terrifying Singapore Airlines flight that suffered deadly turbulence plunged nearly 180ft in just four seconds, an investigation has revealed.
A packed Boeing jet plunged 7,000ft in a six minute death drop in a horror journey that killed a Brit granddad and left several badly injured in hospital.
Flight SQ321, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew on board, including 47 Brits, took off from London Heathrow just after 10pm on Monday May 20.
The packed aircraft was struck by unexpected "severe turbulence" as flyers were tucking into breakfast, officials said.
The Transport Safety Investigation Bureau launched an investigation into the horror flight and found the terrifying turbulence was to blame for the injuries and tragic death.
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They announced: "The vertical acceleration changed from negative 1.5G to positive 1.5G within 4 seconds.
"This likely resulted in the occupants who were airborne to fall back down."
"The rapid changes in G over the 4.6 seconds duration resulted in an altitude drop of 178ft (54m), from 37,362 ft to 37,184ft.
"This sequence of events likely caused the injuries to the crew and passengers."
Twenty eight people are still in hospitals in Thailand after the Boeing made an emergency landing on May 21.
Overall, 104 people on board needed medical care, according to initial figures.
With doctors fearing some passengers on the nightmare flight may never walk again as they said they've "never seen anything like it" after a number of brain and spinal injuries were reported.
Those hospitalised ranged from a two-year-old with concussion to an 83-year-old with internal injuries, according to Samitivej Srinakarin hospital director, Adinun Kittiratanapaibool.
Singapore Airlines (SIA) say they are still in contact with 46 passengers who were on board the SQ321 flight.
They released a statement saying: "The well-being of our passengers and staff is our utmost priority.
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"SIA is fully cooperating with the relevant authorities in the ongoing investigations into this incident."
'All hell broke loose'
One passenger onboard claimed the flight was "quite smooth" for the majority of the journey before chaos erupted over Myanmar.
Andrew Davies, who had been travelling to New Zealand for business, recalled seeing the seatbelt sign suddenly light up as panic set in.
He fastened his seatbelt, telling CNN: "Thank goodness I did because within moments of doing that, all hell broke loose.
"The plane just felt like it dropped. It probably only lasted a few seconds, but I remember vividly seeing shoes and iPads and iPhones and cushions and blankets and cutlery and plates and cups flying through the air and crashing to the ceiling.
"The gentleman next to me had a cup of coffee, which went straight all over me and up to the ceiling."
Sitting right behind Davies was granddad Geoff Kitchen.
Davies recalled there being "so much screaming" as passengers tended to Kitchen, carried him out of his seat, and administered CPR.
Another nearby passenger had "a big gash in her head and blood pouring down her face", he said.
Many horrified passengers managed to walk off the plane but quickly discovered they had suffered internal injuries which were only spotted later at the hospital.
Fourteen people reportedly underwent surgery after the flight.
Among those who were placed in Intensive Care Units included six Brits, six Malaysians, three Australians, two Singaporeans and one each from Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Passenger Josh Silverstone, 24, from London said: “I only had a cut in my eye and a chipped tooth, it could be way worse.
“Everything was fine until I arrived back in the airport and I couldn’t stop vomiting. I couldn’t walk - it was pretty bad.
“I woke up on the floor. I didn’t realise what happened - I must’ve hit my head somewhere.
“There were people laying out on the floor - they were paralysed.”
The plane was later diverted to Bangkok after the tragic turbulence with 143 passengers and crew being flown to Singapore.
Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said they landed early the morning after.
Retired insurance worker Kitchen's autopsy process is ongoing, although early investigations suggested he suffered from a heart condition.
CEO Goh said Singapore Airlines was "deeply saddened by this incident" and "very sorry for the traumatic experience" passengers endured as he extended his condolences to Kitchen's loved ones.
A Boeing spokesman said: “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.”
Singapore's Ministry of Transport is also investigating the ordeal and probing whether instruments on board the aircraft could have detected the deadly turbulence.
Attention was focused on the Boeing's weather radar amid claims raised by pilots that it failed to spot dangers - and that the more advanced systems required more pilot training.
Alongside the turbulence, experts also claimed one of the causes of the terrifying ordeal was "explosive storms".
AccuWeather, a top weather forecasting service said rapidly developing, explosive thunderstorms near the Boeing's flight path is likely the cause of the violent turbulence.
