What caused Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 to encounter severe turbulence?

Question

Accepted Answer

Severe Turbulence Encountered by Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321

Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 experienced severe turbulence, resulting in one fatality and multiple injuries, during its flight from London to Bangkok. The incident occurred while the cabin crew was serving breakfast, and the aircraft experienced a sudden, dramatic drop after a sensation of rising. This sudden change in altitude caused passengers not wearing seatbelts to be thrown towards the ceiling, with some sustaining head injuries and damaging cabin fixtures.
Aircraft Suffered Dramatic Drop and Upward Tilt

Tracking data from FlightRadar 24 indicated that the aircraft experienced a significant event around 07:49 GMT, showing a tilt upwards followed by a return to its cruising altitude over approximately one minute. A passenger on board described the event as a sudden, dramatic drop after the aircraft began to tilt upwards, causing unsecured passengers to be launched into the cabin ceiling. This event led to some passengers hitting their heads on overhead baggage compartments, breaking lights and masks.
Passenger Fatality and Multiple Injuries Reported

A 73-year-old British man died as a result of the incident, with a likely cause being a heart attack. In addition to the fatality, seven individuals sustained critical head injuries. Singapore Airlines confirmed that eighteen passengers were hospitalised, with twelve others receiving medical treatment in hospitals following the emergency landing in Bangkok.
Turbulence is a Common Cause of Airline Incidents

Turbulence is identified as the most frequent cause of airline accidents, accounting for over a third of reported incidents between 2009 and 2018, according to a 2021 study by the National Transportation Safety Board. While these events often result in serious injuries, they typically do not cause damage to the aircraft itself. The specific meteorological conditions that precipitated the severe turbulence encountered by SQ321 were not detailed in the available information.

Reading history

Hide →

This history is cleared when the page is closed.

What caused Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 to encounter severe turbulence?

Loading

Was this article helpful?

Helpful

Not helpful

Report an issue

1

0

0

Share with friends