Severe turbulence leaves passengers injured, 20 are in intensive care
Several passengers from the Singapore Airlines flight that encountered severe turbulence earlier this week will need spinal surgery, a Bangkok hospital announced on Thursday. The turbulence incident occurred on a Boeing 777 flying from London’s Heathrow Airport to Singapore, leading to injuries for many on board.
A 73-year-old British man died, and twenty others remain in intensive care
The turbulence hit over the Andaman Sea, causing the aircraft to plunge 1,800 meters in about three minutes. Items and passengers were thrown around the cabin, resulting in serious injuries. A 73-year-old British man died, and twenty others remain in intensive care. Despite the severity, none of the ICU patients are in life-threatening condition, according to hospital director Adinun Kittiratanapaibool.
The injured include six Britons, six Malaysians, three Australians, two Singaporeans, and one person each from Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the Philippines. A public relations officer for Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, where most of the 104 injured were treated, confirmed that other local hospitals have been asked to provide specialist support. The officer spoke anonymously due to hospital policy.
Eyewitness accounts of in-flight chaos
Passengers have recounted the terrifying experience of the aircraft shuddering violently, with loose items flying and people lying injured on the floor. Amelia Lim, a 43-year-old Malaysian, described the harrowing scene to the Malay Mail newspaper, noting, “I was so afraid… I could see so many individuals on the floor, they were all bleeding.”
It remains unclear what caused the severe turbulence. The flight, which was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was diverted to Thailand following the incident. Thai authorities reported that the British man who died may have suffered a heart attack, with flight crew attempting CPR for about 20 minutes.
Out of 41 patients, 22 had spinal or spinal cord injuries
Out of 41 patients who remained at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital on Thursday morning, 22 had spinal or spinal cord injuries, six had skull or brain injuries, and 13 had bone or internal organ damage. The injured passengers range in age from 2 to 83 years.
The incident underscores the unpredictable and dangerous nature of in-flight turbulence, highlighting the need for passengers to remain seated with seatbelts fastened whenever possible.
