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Passengers arrive after turbulent Singapore Airlines flight from London


Most passengers from a Singapore Airlines flight that encountered severe turbulence on Tuesday, May 21, have finally reached their destination. The flight, traveling from London to Singapore, resulted in the death of a 73-year-old British passenger from a suspected heart attack. Dozens more were injured.

The airline said 143 passengers arrived in the city state shortly after 5 a.m. local time.

The Boeing 777, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok after a sudden descent of 6,000 feet, likely caused by clear air turbulence.

The airline’s CEO, Goh Choon Phong, stated that 79 passengers and six crew members — including 71 who were hospitalized — stayed behind in Bangkok as of Wednesday, May 22.

“We are very sorry for the traumatic experience that everyone on board SQ321 went through,” Goh said in a social media video. He added that the airline is providing all necessary support and will fully cooperate with investigations.

“I saw people from across the aisle just going completely horizontal, hitting the ceiling and landing back down in really awkward positions,” Dzafran Azmir, a passenger on Flight SQ321, said. “People, like, getting massive gashes in the head, concussions.”

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board along with Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau are investigating the turbulence.

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[KARAH RUCKER]

MOST OF THE PASSENGERS WHO WERE ABOARD A BATTERED SINGAPORE AIRLINES FLIGHT FINALLY MADE IT TO THEIR DESTINATION THIS MORNING. THE ORIGINAL FLIGHT FROM LONDON ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE ON TUESDAY. A 73-YEAR-OLD BRITISH PASSENGER DIED OF A SUSPECTED HEART ATTACK AND AT LEAST 30 OTHERS WERE INJURED.

TEN HOURS INTO THE FLIGHT —  THE BOEING TRIPLE 7 — CARRYING 211 PASSENGERS AND 18 CREW MEMBERS — WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN BANGKOK AFTER A SUDDEN DESCENT OF 6-THOUSAND FEET — LIKELY CAUSED BY CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE.

ONE OF THE PASSENGERS SPOKE OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE ON THE PLANE.

DZAFRAN AZMIR

PASSENGER

“I saw people from across the aisle just going completely horizontal, hitting the ceiling and landing back down in really awkward positions. People, like, getting massive gashes in the head, concussions.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

MOST PASSENGERS CONTINUED TO SINGAPORE ON A RELIEF FLIGHT, WHILE 79 ARE STILL IN BANGKOK, INCLUDING THOSE WHO are HOSPITALIZED.

THE U.S. NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD AND SINGAPORE’S TRANSPORT SAFETY INVESTIGATION BUREAU ARE AMONG THE AGENCIES INVESTIGATING THE TURBULENCE.