- A Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore (SQ321) encountered severe turbulence, resulting in the death of a 73-year-old British passenger, Geoff Kitchen, and injuries to dozens of other passengers. [bbc.com, theguardian.com, independent.co.uk, cnn.com, washingtonpost.com, nytimes.com]
- The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft experienced a sudden descent of 6,000 feet in just three minutes, forcing it to divert and make an emergency landing in Bangkok, where the injured received medical assistance. [bbc.com, theguardian.com, independent.co.uk, cnn.com, washingtonpost.com]
- Passengers described a dramatic drop, with the plane violently rising and plunging multiple times, causing people and objects to fly around the cabin, resulting in damage to the cabin ceiling and debris scattered on the floor. [wirtschaft.com, axios.com, independent.co.uk, cbsnews.com, bbc.com]
- The deceased passenger, Geoffrey Kitchen, was a 70-year-old British man who possibly suffered a heart attack during the rapid descent. Singapore Airlines expressed condolences for the incident. [independent.co.uk, cbsnews.com, axios.com]
- Turbulence-related accidents are the most common type of incident involving air carriers, and climate change is increasing the instability in jet streams, resulting in more severe turbulence. Experts recommend passengers keep their seat belts buckled, follow carry-on restrictions, and listen to instructions during turbulence to avoid injuries. [axios.com, npr.org, bbc.com]
Sources:
- bbc.com (English)
- theguardian.com (English)
- independent.co.uk (English)
- cnn.com (English)
- washingtonpost.com (English)
- nytimes.com (Spanish)
- wirtschaft.com (German)
- axios.com (English)
- cbsnews.com (English)
- npr.org (English)