Severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore has resulted in the death of a 73-year-old British passenger, Geoffrey Kitchen, and left around 70 passengers injured, including seven with serious injuries and dozens with minor injuries.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from Heathrow Airport to Singapore had been flying for about 10 hours when it encountered severe turbulence over Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet. The plane experienced a dramatic drop of 6,000 feet within minutes.
There were 229 people on board, consisting of 211 passengers and 18 crew members.
The severe turbulence triggered a suspected heart attack, which claimed the life of Geoffrey Kitchen. Additionally, around 70 others were injured, with seven sustaining serious injuries and dozens more experiencing minor injuries.
Following the turbulence, the plane made an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. A relief flight transported 143 passengers to Singapore, while 79 passengers and 6 crew members remained in Bangkok for medical care and investigation. Many injured passengers are still being treated in Bangkok, where the plane was diverted.
Goh Choon Phong, the CEO of Singapore Airlines, issued a video apology expressing deep sorrow for the traumatic experience of the passengers and extending condolences to Geoffrey Kitchen’s family. “We are very sorry for the traumatic experience that everyone on board SQ321 went through,” he said.
Additionally, the Prime Minister of Singapore has promised a “thorough investigation” into the incident to understand the causes and prevent future occurrences.
Currently, investigations are underway with Singapore’s Ministry of Transport and the US National Transportation Safety Board collaborating with Thai authorities. The focus is on understanding the causes, including the role of climate change in increasing turbulence incidents.
Geoffrey Kitchen, a retired UK insurance worker and a prominent member of the Thornbury Musical Theatre Group for 35 years, has received heartfelt tributes. The Noda group wrote in a statement, “He was a prominent and longstanding member of Thornbury Musical Theatre, having served in many offices on the committee as well as on stage. His love and passion for the theatre will be greatly missed by all who knew him.”
Passengers, such as Andrew Davies, who assisted in performing CPR on Kitchen, described the chaos and the valiant efforts to help injured individuals amidst the turmoil.
Notably, Singapore Airlines has a strong safety record, with this being the first fatal incident in 24 years.
