SINGAPORE: A total of 131 passengers and 12 crew members who were aboard a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight badly hit by turbulence arrived at Changi Airport in the early hours of Wednesday (May 22).
The scheduled London to Singapore flight diverted to Bangkok after the plane was buffeted by turbulence that flung passengers and crew around the cabin, slamming some into the ceiling.
Photographs from the interior of the plane showed large gashes in the overhead cabin panels, gas masks and panels hanging from the ceiling and items of hand luggage strewn around.
A 73-year-old British man died of a suspected heart attack and at least 30 people were injured, some critically.
SIA said in an update on Facebook on Wednesday morning that the passengers and crew of SQ321 arrived at 5.05am via a relief flight.
They were received upon their arrival at Changi Airport by Chief Executive Office of SIA, Mr Goh Choon Phong.
“Transportation to their homes or hotel accommodation has been arranged for passengers travelling to Singapore," said the airline.
“For passengers with onward connections, we have rebooked them on alternative flights. We have also arranged hotel accommodation or lounge access for them to rest until their next flight.”
Reuters reported dozens of passengers quietly filing off a Singapore Airlines jet on Wednesday morning, mostly ignoring media awaiting their arrival.
Some responded to shouted questions, confirming they had been on the original London-Singapore trip and saying "Good flight!" when asked about the last leg from Bangkok.
As of early Wednesday morning, another 79 passengers and six crew members from SQ321 remain in Bangkok.
This includes those receiving medical care, as well as their family members and loved ones who were on the flight, SIA said.
“A dedicated SIA team from Singapore is in Bangkok to assist our colleagues and the local authorities. We are providing all possible support to the passengers and crew from SQ321 who remain in Bangkok.”
The airline also expressed its condolences over the death of the British passenger.
“On behalf of Singapore Airlines, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased passenger. We also deeply apologise for the trauma experienced by all passengers and crew members on this flight,” said Mr Goh.
“We are providing all possible assistance and support to them, along with their families and loved ones, during this difficult time. The well-being of our passengers and staff is our utmost priority.”
The interior of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 is pictured after an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand, May 21, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
The interior of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 is pictured after an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand, May 21, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
The airline said that it is “fully cooperating” with the relevant authorities looking into the incident.
Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB), an arm of the Transport Ministry, is opening an investigation into what happened on SQ321.
It says it has been in contact with its Thai counterparts and will send investigators to Bangkok.
The airline said in a previous statement that the flight encountered sudden extreme turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure.
An initial data analysis by the aviation tracking service Flightradar24 suggested the London-Singapore flight experienced more than one minute of extreme turbulence at around 11,300m over Myanmar, during which it violently rose and plunged several times.
Photos online and those sent to CNA showed food trays and items scattered on the ground. Oxygen masks were seen hanging from the scaling and parts of the plane's interior appeared damaged.
Passenger Andrew Davies said the seatbelt sign was turned on moments before the plane dropped.
"So many injured people, head lacerations, bleeding ears," he wrote on X, adding that a female passenger was screaming in pain.
Malaysian student Dzafran Azmir said he felt the Boeing 777-300R plane tilt upwards and begin to shake.
The 28-year-old braced himself and checked that he had his seatbelt on. He did. Many of the other passengers did not, he said.
"Suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing a seatbelt 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," Azmir told Reuters.
Relatives seeking information may contact the Singapore Airlines hotlines at +65 6542 3311 (Singapore), 1800-845-313 (Australia) and 080-0066-8194 (the United Kingdom).
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The scheduled London to Singapore flight diverted to Bangkok after the plane was buffeted by turbulence that flung passengers and crew around the cabin, slamming some into the ceiling.
Photographs from the interior of the plane showed large gashes in the overhead cabin panels, gas masks and panels hanging from the ceiling and items of hand luggage strewn around.
A 73-year-old British man died of a suspected heart attack and at least 30 people were injured, some critically.
SIA said in an update on Facebook on Wednesday morning that the passengers and crew of SQ321 arrived at 5.05am via a relief flight.
They were received upon their arrival at Changi Airport by Chief Executive Office of SIA, Mr Goh Choon Phong.
“Transportation to their homes or hotel accommodation has been arranged for passengers travelling to Singapore," said the airline.
“For passengers with onward connections, we have rebooked them on alternative flights. We have also arranged hotel accommodation or lounge access for them to rest until their next flight.”
Reuters reported dozens of passengers quietly filing off a Singapore Airlines jet on Wednesday morning, mostly ignoring media awaiting their arrival.
Some responded to shouted questions, confirming they had been on the original London-Singapore trip and saying "Good flight!" when asked about the last leg from Bangkok.
RECEIVING MEDICAL CARE
As of early Wednesday morning, another 79 passengers and six crew members from SQ321 remain in Bangkok.
This includes those receiving medical care, as well as their family members and loved ones who were on the flight, SIA said.
“A dedicated SIA team from Singapore is in Bangkok to assist our colleagues and the local authorities. We are providing all possible support to the passengers and crew from SQ321 who remain in Bangkok.”
The airline also expressed its condolences over the death of the British passenger.
“On behalf of Singapore Airlines, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased passenger. We also deeply apologise for the trauma experienced by all passengers and crew members on this flight,” said Mr Goh.
“We are providing all possible assistance and support to them, along with their families and loved ones, during this difficult time. The well-being of our passengers and staff is our utmost priority.”
The interior of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 is pictured after an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand, May 21, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
The interior of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 is pictured after an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand, May 21, 2024. (Photo: Reuters/Stringer)
The airline said that it is “fully cooperating” with the relevant authorities looking into the incident.
Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB), an arm of the Transport Ministry, is opening an investigation into what happened on SQ321.
It says it has been in contact with its Thai counterparts and will send investigators to Bangkok.
"LAUNCHED IMMEDIATELY INTO THE CEILING"
The airline said in a previous statement that the flight encountered sudden extreme turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure.
An initial data analysis by the aviation tracking service Flightradar24 suggested the London-Singapore flight experienced more than one minute of extreme turbulence at around 11,300m over Myanmar, during which it violently rose and plunged several times.
Photos online and those sent to CNA showed food trays and items scattered on the ground. Oxygen masks were seen hanging from the scaling and parts of the plane's interior appeared damaged.
Passenger Andrew Davies said the seatbelt sign was turned on moments before the plane dropped.
"So many injured people, head lacerations, bleeding ears," he wrote on X, adding that a female passenger was screaming in pain.
Malaysian student Dzafran Azmir said he felt the Boeing 777-300R plane tilt upwards and begin to shake.
The 28-year-old braced himself and checked that he had his seatbelt on. He did. Many of the other passengers did not, he said.
"Suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing a seatbelt 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," Azmir told Reuters.
Relatives seeking information may contact the Singapore Airlines hotlines at +65 6542 3311 (Singapore), 1800-845-313 (Australia) and 080-0066-8194 (the United Kingdom).
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