Jump to content
reader

Severe turbulence flight diverts to BKK

Recommended Posts

Posted

From the Straits Times

SINGAPORE - One passenger died and 30 were injured when an SIA flight flying to Singapore from London’s Heathrow Airport encountered severe turbulence in the air.

In a Facebook post on May 21, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said the aircraft was diverted to Bangkok and made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 3.45pm.

SIA, in an update later in the night, said 18 passengers were hospitalised, while another 12 are being treated for injuries in hospital.

 

The remaining passengers and crew on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft are being examined and treated at the airport in Bangkok.

Reuters reported that the aircraft, after about 11 hours of taking off from London, dropped sharply from an altitude of about 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet within just five minutes as it finished traversing the Andaman Sea and neared Thailand, according to FlightRadar 24 data.

 

Posted
46 minutes ago, reader said:

From the Straits Times

SINGAPORE - One passenger died and 30 were injured when an SIA flight flying to Singapore from London’s Heathrow Airport encountered severe turbulence in the air.

In a Facebook post on May 21, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said the aircraft was diverted to Bangkok and made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 3.45pm.

SIA, in an update later in the night, said 18 passengers were hospitalised, while another 12 are being treated for injuries in hospital.

 

The remaining passengers and crew on board the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft are being examined and treated at the airport in Bangkok.

Reuters reported that the aircraft, after about 11 hours of taking off from London, dropped sharply from an altitude of about 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet within just five minutes as it finished traversing the Andaman Sea and neared Thailand, according to FlightRadar 24 data.

 

I've been on a few bumpy flights, but I can't imagine how bad it must be for this many injuries...  The photos from inside the plane that shows the state of disarray paints quite the picture. 

 

CNN reported this and also mentioned that these types of events are forecasted to get worse over the next 30 years. 

Posted
4 hours ago, caeron said:

 

Wow, that's a lot of injuries too. Do people really not listen when they say keep your seatbelt buckled when you are in your seat?

Don't forget people had just been woken up, were being served breakfast, changing out of pyjamas,  going to toilets etc.

Posted

30 injuries out of 230 on board doesn't seem like that many. As noted it was during the breakfast service so many crew members would have been up and about. And it's likely people would have been using the lavs or even just accessing the overheads. 

As some one who uses the lavatory frequently during a flight this is one of my worst nightmares.

Posted

From Thai PBS World

Singapore Airlines said Tuesday it has offered $10,000 compensation to passengers who suffered minor injuries on a flight hit by violent turbulence last month and will discuss higher payouts with those more badly hurt.

A 73-year-old British man died and several other passengers and crew onboard flight SQ321 from London suffered skull, brain and spine injuries during the terrifying high-altitude ordeal.

The pilots diverted the Singapore-bound Boeing 777-300ER carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew to Bangkok, where the injured were taken to hospitals.

In a statement on Tuesday, the airline said it had sent out emails offering US$10,000 in compensation to passengers who sustained minor injuries during the incident.

“For those who sustained more serious injuries… we have invited them to discuss a compensation offer to meet each of their specific circumstances when they feel well and ready to do so,” the airline said.

“Passengers medically assessed as having sustained serious injuries, requiring long-term medical care, and requesting financial assistance are offered an advance payment of US$25,000 to address their immediate needs.

“This will be part of the final compensation that these passengers will receive.”

In addition, the carrier said it would refund the airfares of all passengers on the flight, including those who were not injured.

“All passengers will also receive delay compensation in accordance with the relevant European Union or United Kingdom regulations,” it said.

Under the Montreal Convention, airlines are liable for damgages for the injury or death of passengers while on an airplane.

Singapore Airlines earlier gave Sg$1,000 ($740) to each passenger departing Bangkok to their final destination to cover their their immediate expenses.

It has also been shouldering the medical expenses of the injured passengers, and had arranged for their family members to fly to Bangkok when it was requested.

“SIA remains committed to supporting the affected passengers who were on board SQ321,” the airline said.

Singpore’s transport ministry has said a sudden 54-metre (177-foot) altitude drop caused unbelted passengers on the flight to be thrown violently inside the cabin.

The aircraft experienced a “rapid change” in gravitational force, or G-force, while the plane was passing over the south of Myanmar, the ministry said citing a preliminary report by Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau.

The investigation team included experts from the TSIB, the US National Transportation Safety Board, the US Federal Aviation Administration and the plane’s manufacturer Boeing.

Agence France-Presse

Posted
7 hours ago, vinapu said:

scary but probably unavoidable other than being buckled up when sitting.

I thought that it was agreed that you should be buckled  up when sitting?

Posted
10 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

I thought that it was agreed that you should be buckled  up when sitting?

I always do. Disturbing that so many apparently do not. I suppose the law of probability is in their favour that something like this won't happen.

Posted
4 hours ago, omega said:

I always do. Disturbing that so many apparently do not. I suppose the law of probability is in their favour that something like this won't happen.

I have just flown to Berlin, short flight. No extra warning from flight deck about concerns over turbulence. I expected a comment, at least, apart the usual, rather anodyne, ' we recommend  that you keep your seat belts fastened in case of unexpected turbulence '.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...