One dead and 30 injured after severe turbulence on London-Singapore flight

One passenger died and 30 were injured this Tuesday after a Singapore Airlines flight from London suffered severe turbulence, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, the capital of Thailand.

A Boeing 777-300ER plane carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members was en route to Singapore when it began to experience severe turbulence and plummeted from 6,000 feet. This caused people on board who were not restrained to crash into the overhead compartments. 

The identity of the dead passenger has not been revealed, but local authorities said he was a British man who possibly suffered a heart attack. In addition, 18 people were hospitalized and 12 are being treated in different medical centers.

Singapore airlines SQ-321 - London - Singapore

This is where the Captain announces of a diversion to Bangkok.

Note the indentation on the luggage bin. 🙏🏼
(Video WhatsApp forward) #SQ321 #singaporeairlines pic.twitter.com/5SZDGF5WpZ

— Rudra 🔱 (@invincible39) May 21, 2024

 Photos shared on social media show food and debris scattered throughout the plane after the turbulence, as well as huge dents in the overhead bins. Other images show terrified passengers wearing oxygen masks.

 Tracking data from FlightRadar24 showed that the plane dropped sharply from an altitude of about 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet in just five minutes, while flying over the Andaman Sea.

 The plane remained at 31,000 feet for approximately 10 minutes before making an emergency landing in Bangkok.

“Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft,” the airline said. “We are working with local authorities in Thailand to provide necessary medical assistance and sending a team to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance necessary.”