ONE of the deadly causes of Tuesday’s fatal Singapore Airlines turbulence was “explosive storms”, claim weather experts.
A packed Boeing jet plunged 7,000ft in a six minute death drop in a horror flight that killed a Brit granddad after a pilot claims they were forced to swerve the same chilling area just two days earlier.
Flight SQ321 took off from London Heathrow shortly after 10pm on Monday with 211 passengers and 18 crew on board – including 47 Brits.
Nearly 11 hours into the 13-hour journey to Singapore, the packed jet was smashed by sudden “severe turbulence” while passengers were eating breakfast, officials said.
Geoff Kitchen, 73, died of a heart attack as 18 others were sent to the hospital in neck braces and slings with some even being carried away on stretchers.
Shocking images showed food, drinks and cutlery strewn across the galley kitchens of the plane as it was violently thrown around.
Ceiling fittings were also ripped apart with pipework becoming dangerously exposed.
We were about 30 miles off track flying around the thunderstorms two days ago on the way to Singapore
pilot
One panicked stewardess was even seen with blood pouring from her nose as onlooker Andrew Davies said another stricken woman was “screaming and absolutely covered in blood”.
Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong released a heartfelt video message speaking on the terrifying ordeal as he sent his condolences to all the victims on board.
He also blamed a disastrous bout of sudden extreme turbulence for the medical emergency.
Aircraft tracking provider FlightRadar 24 said the flight faced “a rapid change in vertical rate, consistent with a sudden turbulence event”.
“There were thunderstorms, some severe, in the area at the time,” it continued.
The turbulence took its toll over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar – just 10 hours into the flight, Singapore Airlines said.
AccuWeather, a top weather forecasting service said rapidly developing, explosive thunderstorms near the Boeing’s flight path is likely the cause of the violent turbulence.
An unnamed pilot said thunderstorms in the Bay of Bengal are reasonably common as they claim to have been forced to swerve away from a similar patch just 48-hours earlier.
The pilot said: “We were about 30 miles off track flying around the thunderstorms two days ago on the way to Singapore.”
Several shell-shocked passengers were reportedly not wearing seatbelts when the ordeal erupted on board causing them to smash into cabins overhead as the plane was suddenly jolted.
Those injured were seen being wheeled off the plane by paramedics in wheelchairs and on stretchers – with some in neck braces.
Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old student, said: “Suddenly the aircraft starts tilting up and there was shaking so I started bracing for what was happening.
“And very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing 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.”
Victims of the turbulence praised the staff for their “stoicism” but noted they were all left injured.
Australian Teandra Tukhunen said she was asleep when she “was woken up because I was thrown to the roof and then to the floor” at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in Bangkok.
The 30-year-old, who had her left arm in a sling at the hospital, added that she was pushed to the roof before she had a chance to fasten her seatbelt.
“It was just so quick, over in a couple of seconds and then you’re just shocked. Everyone’s pretty freaked out”.
“Life happens,” she replied when asked if it was scary.
“Things happen. The pilots saved our lives, that’s all that matters in the end.”
Following what he described as “quite scary” experience, passenger Joshua said, “I don’t think I’ll be flying again for a while”.
He recalled hearing “one huge loud noise, things were coming through the ceiling, water everywhere, people crying… it wasn’t a fun end to the journey” while he was lying on a trolley in the same hospital.
Joshua said he was in “a lot of pain” and felt much worse after the news of the passenger’s death “sunk in”.
By Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter
A TERRIFIED passenger onboard the horror Singapore Airlines flight sent an emotional text as the Boeing jet plunged 7,000 feet during a deadly turbulence.
On his way to a holiday in Bali, traveller Josh texted what he thought could be his final words to his loved ones.
Mum Allison Barker described the hours of desperate wait after getting a chilling message from her son at 9.10 this morning.
“I don’t want to scare you, but I’m on a crazy flight. The plane is making an emergency landing… I love you all,” Josh’s text read.
Allison told the BBC: “‘It was terrifying. I didn’t know what was going on.
“We didn’t know whether he’d survived, it was so nerve wracking. It was the longest two hours of my life.
“It was awful; it was petrifying.”
When she finally got through to her son, Josh assured her he was safe.
But he confessed he had some minor injuries to his teeth, adding he was “in a lot of pain.”
The Singapore Airlines flight was diverted to the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok where it made an emergency landing shortly before 4pm local time.
It had been due to land at Singapore’s Changi Airport at 6.10pm local time.
The Boeing 777-300ER plunged from 38,000ft to 31,000ft near the Andaman Sea as it approached Thailand, according to flight tracker FlightRadar24.
A convoy of 13 ambulances raced to the scene in Bangkok – with pictures showing emergency vehicles lined up on the tarmac.
The general manager at the airport in Bangkok described a scene of “panic and chaos”.
A spokesperson for Singapore Airlines confirmed one person had died on board due “severe turbulence en-route” to Singapore.
They said: “We can confirm that there are injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER.
“18 individuals have been hospitalised. Another 12 are being treated in hospitals.
“The remaining passengers and crew are being examined and given treatment, where necessary, at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok.
“There were a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board.
“Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased.
“Our priority is to provide all possible assistance to all passengers and crew on board the aircraft.
“We are working with the local authorities in Thailand to provide the necessary medical assistance, and sending a team to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance needed.”
Kitchen, a granddad from Thornbury, Gloucestershire, had just begun a six week trip to Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and Australia, with wife Linda when tragedy struck.
The keen amateur actor and former insurance worker was described as “a really nice bloke” by his devastated friends.
Steve Dimond, who lives with wife Jill a few doors down from Geoff in a quiet leafy cul-de-sac in Thornbury, Glos, said: “We are really upset. My wife is upstairs crying.
“He was a really nice guy. I last saw them on Sunday night and my wife saw them drive off on Monday.
“They were going on a big holiday to Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and Australia. They have a son and a daughter.”
Geoff had suffered heart problems in recent years and had stents put in to widen his arteries.
Geoff, who has a daughter and a son, and his wife Linda were both involved with the Thornbury musical theatre group.
Mr Dimond said: “I will remember him playing a Sultan and a Dame, he was fantastic. A lovely, funny man who could sing and act.”
Friend Lizzie Adkins paid tribute to Geoff, saying: “He was the most wonderful human being you could ever know, one of the top ones, stable and reliable, you always knew you were in safe hands with Geoff.
“He had a really dry sense of humour and had a twinkle in his eye.
“Every time you saw him you just knew he was going to make a funny joke.”
The remaining 140 passengers and crew from the flight finally arrived in Singapore on a relief flight early on Wednesday morning.
By Lisa Minot, Head of Travel
THE idea that a flier can be killed by turbulence will strike fear into the hearts of many who have experienced it on a flight.
Nervous fliers often cite the terrifying experience of turbulence as the reason they are so scared of taking to the skies. Even the most confident flyer can feel panic when a plane begins to rattle and roll.
But in reality, this is a relatively rare occurrence. There have been just 38 deaths in the last 15 years, with another 30 passengers and 116 crew seriously injured. Compare that to the more than 4.4billion people who take to the skies each year around the world.
Jet streams, atmospheric pressure and storms are the most common reasons for turbulence but the most dangerous is clear air turbulence as pilots have no warning and time to put seabelt signs on.
However, just three percent of flights experience light turbulence, one per cent of them get moderate episodes and mere tenths of one percent experience severe issues.
When moderate or severe turbulence does lead to injuries, it is passengers not wearing their seatbelt or standing in aisles or toilets who are most at risk.
Keeping your seatbelt on for the entire flight is the most sensible way to ensure that should the worst happen, you are taking the best precautions possible.
Last year, five British Airways crew were left with horror injuries and passengers screamed in terror during severe turbulence on another Boeing 777-300ER at 30,000ft.
One of the in-flight team suffered a dislocated ankle and another concussion after being thrown around the cabin following take-off from Singapore.
Singapore Airline’s Boeing 777-300ERs can seat up to 264 passengers and crew.
Injuries from turbulence – a change in the air that can rock a plane – are rare.
Atmospheric pressure, air around mountains and weather fronts or storms can all cause turbulence. Jet streams are a common cause too.
Boeing has found itself plunged into crisis after a series of dangerous jet failures and the death of a company whistleblower.
A window panel on a Boeing 737 was ripped from one plane mid-flight – and a wheel dropped from the bottom of another jet during takeoff.
John Barnett, a former longtime Boeing employee-turned-whistleblower, was found dead in his truck just days after giving evidence against the company which is in the midst of a criminal investigation.
The 737 MAX, most commonly used aircraft for commercial flights in the world, was also grounded in countries around the world between March 2019 and December 2020.
It came after 346 people died in two similar crashes on the planes, the Lion Air flight in October 2018 and the Ethiopian Airlines flight in March 2019.
The multiple blunders come as the aircraft is giant is facing controversy over safety concerns.
Boeing has always maintained their jets are safe to fly.
BOEING has found itself at the centre of increasingly concerning reports in recent months thanks to malfunctions on its planes.
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