Police confirmed that Kitchen, a 73-year-old retired insurance professional turned amateur dramatics performer, died after suffering a heart attack in severe turbulence that also left his wife and scores of others injured after the plane fell into an air pocket while cabin crew were serving breakfast
Suvarnabhumi airport said the plane requested an emergency landing at 3:35 p.m. local time (0835 GMT) and landed at 3:51 p.
Photographs from inside the plane showed large gashes in the overhead cabin panels, gas masks and panels hanging from the ceiling and items of hand luggage strewn around.
One passenger said some people's heads had slammed into the lights above the seats and punctured the panels.
The airline has issued an apology for the “traumatic experience”
The airline said 18 people were hospitalised and 12 were in hospitals. Samitivej Hospital said it was treating 71 passengers. Seven were critical, Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn said.
A spokesperson for FlightRadar 24 said it was analysing data at around 0749 GMT which showed the plane tilting upwards and return to its cruising altitude over the space of a minute.
Initial reports pointed to a descent from 37,000ft to 31,000ft, though it now appears that was likely a flight level change in preparation for landing.
Catch up with all of today's key developments below and get the latest updates from the Yahoo homepage
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Harriet Sinclair
British man who died on Singapore Airlines flight named
A British holidaymaker who tragically died following a heart attack after severe turbulence on a Boeing 777 he was aboard has been named.
Geoffrey Ralph Kitchen, aged 73, believed to be a resident of Thornbury, Gloucestershire, near Bristol, died on board the plane when the Singapore Airlines flight from Heathrow Airport hit severe turbulence.
Read the full story from Somerset Live.
Harriet Sinclair
What is clear air turbulence and how did it affect the Singapore Airlines flight?
One study suggests aircraft encounter severe clear air turbulence at least 790 times a year, which works out at once every 11 hours. But climate researchers say the incidence at a typical point over the North Atlantic increased by 55 per cent between 1979 and 2020.
Read the full story from The Independent.
Stuart Henderson
Extreme turbulence that hit Singapore Airlines flight 'extremely rare'
An airline expert has said the extreme turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight in which a 73-year-old British man die of a suspected heart attack and dozens of people were left injured is "extremely rare".
It isn't the first time that someone has died in similar circ*mstances – last year a White House official dying on a private jet after encountering severe turbulence, but industry expert Ryan Ewing says these incidents are "so newsworthy" precisely because they're so uncommon.
"Turbulence can shock the system, especially when it's an extreme event, and can make even the most regular flyers a little bit nervous," Ewing, founder of aviation news site AirlineGeeks, told Yahoo News.
Read the full story from Yahoo News here
Harriet Sinclair
Passenger says Singapore Airlines turbulence was 'not like anything' he has experienced
A man has spoken of the moment turbulence caused a Singapore Airlines plane to plummet 6,000 feet in a matter of minutes.
Andrew Davies, who was a passenger on the Singapore Airlines flight, describes to Sky's @KamaliMelbourne the 'traumatic' moment when the plane suddenly dropped in severe turbulence, leaving one other passenger dead
Full story ➡️ https://t.co/RcakcdKvKK pic.twitter.com/H6JL28Hte8
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 21, 2024
Harriet Sinclair
Fresh plane turbulence warning sign as experts share dangers after man's death
A warning sign has been revealed about the dangers of plane turbulence. One person has been confirmed dead and around 20 others injured after a flight from London to Singapore experienced extreme turbulence while entering the airspace of an severe tropical thunderstorm.
Read the full story from the Daily Record.
Harriet Sinclair
Expert responds after passenger killed on a plane that was affected by turbulence
Responding to the sad news that a passenger was killed onboard a plane that was affected by turbulence, Professor Paul Williams, University of Reading, said that turbulence fatalities on commercial flights are fortunately very rare, but have sadly increased by one today.
"Turbulence on flights can be caused by storms, mountains, and strong air currents called jet streams. In this last case, it is called clear-air turbulence, and it can be difficult to avoid because it doesn't show up on the weather radar in the flight deck," he said.
Read the full story from the Reading Chronicle.
Harriet Sinclair
Travel journalist shares walkthrough of damaged plane cabin
Travel journalist shares walkthrough of damaged plane cabin.
Aftermath of Singapore Airlines flight 321 from London to Singapore which had to divert to Bangkok due to severe turbulence. One death passenger and several injured. Blood everywhere, destroyed cabin. #singaporeairlines #sq321 pic.twitter.com/C2FgrVt9yv
— Josh Cahill (@gotravelyourway) May 21, 2024
Harriet Sinclair
Damage inside Singapore Airlines plane after British man dies following severe turbulence
Footage shows the damage inside a Singapore Airlines plane that hit severe turbulence before an emergency landing.
Items of hand luggage are strewn around the cabin, while gas masks and panels are seen hanging from the ceiling.
One passenger was killed and 30 injured after the flight encountered turbulence on Tuesday 21 May, flinging passengers and crew around the cabin and forcing the plane to land in Bangkok.
Read the full story from The Independent.
Harriet Sinclair
What is turbulence and how dangerous can it be?
A passenger has died and others were injured when a flight from Heathrow Airport encountered severe turbulence on its way to Singapore.
Singapore Airlines said the flight encountered “sudden extreme turbulence” over Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure, with the pilot declaring a medical emergency and diverting the plane to Bangkok.
Experts have described turbulence as “common” and asserted that it “rarely” leads to fatalities, but what is it and how dangerous can it be?
Read the full story from PA.
Harriet Sinclair
Downing Street says thoughts are with family of deceased passenger
Responding to reports that a British passenger has died and many others were injured when a Singapore Airlines flight from Heathrow hit severe turbulence, a Downing Street spokeswoman said: “Our thoughts continue to be with all those affected, including with that individual’s family.”
The Foreign Office is understood to be on the ground to provide support and work with local authorities.
Harriet Sinclair
Hospital says 71 people admitted following Singapore Airlines turbulence
Seventy one people were admitted to hospital in Bangkok, six of whom are in a critical condition, following the turbulence on a Singapore Airlines plane, Sky News reports.
BREAKING: 71 people have been admitted to the main hospital in Bangkok, after a 73-year-old British man died from a suspected heart attack following "sudden extreme turbulence" on a London-Singapore flight
Full story ➡️ https://t.co/UAjLTohFmq
📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/GUfJOFBAUy
— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 21, 2024
Harriet Sinclair
What causes turbulence?
Aviation lecturer at UEL, Damian Devlin, told Yahoo News the Singapore Airlines incident may have been caused by 'clean air turbulence'.
"Atmospheric pressure, air around mountain ranges, weather fronts, and storms can cause turbulence, and there were thunderstorms in the area of the flight at the time," he said. "However, pilots will adjust their flight path to avoid or minimise its effects. This event might have been caused by the sudden and unpredictable nature of Clear-air turbulence, which has no visible indicator to radar or satellites. Pilots first become aware of it when they fly through it."
Harriet Sinclair
What were the nationalities of those on board the Singapore Airlines flight?
Singapore Airlines has released the nationalities of those on board the Singapore Airlines flight forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok following severe turbulence.
There were a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board.
The nationalities of the passengers are as follows: 56 from Australia, 2 from Canada, 1 from Germany, 3 from India, 2 from Indonesia, 1 from Iceland, 4 from Ireland, 1 from Israel, 16 from Malaysia, 2 from Myanmar, 23 from New Zealand, 5 from the Philippines, 41 from Singapore, 1 from South Korea, 2 from Spain, 47 from the UK, and 4 from the USA.
Harriet Sinclair
Photos show Singapore Airlines passenger on stretcher and debris as one killed in turbulence
Photos and footage taken inside a Singapore Airlines flight show the devastation caused after the aircraft experienced severe turbulence. A 73-year-old British man died in the incident, with authorities saying he likely suffered a heart attack.
His wife has been admitted to a hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, where the plane was forced to land after the turbulence hit. Images from inside the plane show emergency masks hanging down and damage to the ceiling.
Read the full story from Yahoo News.
Harriet Sinclair
Turbulence fatalities are rare, aviation expert says
Aviation consultant John Strickland told the PA news agency that “turbulence happens” but with millions of flights operated each year, incidents are “limited” and “fatalities are rare”.
He said: “Exposure is greater in different parts of the world.
“The South Atlantic, Africa and the Bay of Bengal are all places that spring to mind where there’s a greater incidence.
“There are discussions about whether climate change is influencing an increase in occurrences.”
Harriet Sinclair
What is clear air turbulence and how did it affect the Singapore Airlines flight?
At the time the aircraft encountered the clear air turbulence, about 90 minutes remained of the expected flight time to Singapore. It is likely that crew would have been moving around the cabin dealing with breakfast, together with a number of passengers.
Read the full story from The Independent.
Harriet Sinclair
Boeing makes statement following severe turbulence
Boeing has issued a statement following the severe turbulence that left seven people with serious injuries.
— The Boeing Company (@Boeing) May 21, 2024
Harriet Sinclair
Singapore Airlines plane made 'dramatic drop', people flung into lockers, says passenger
There was little warning of the chaos that was about to be unleashed onboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ321.
With around three hours left on the journey from London to Singapore, Malaysian student Dzafran Azmir got the uneasy feeling the Boeing 777-300R plane was tilting upwards and beginning to shake.
Read the full story from Reuters.
Chris Parsons
Pictures show turbulence debris inside Singapore Airlines aircraft
These images which have emerged from on board the Singapore Airlines flight show the extent of the turbulence, and the debris caused as a result.
Photos from the Reuters news agency show inside the main carriage of Singapore Airline flight SG321, with sheets of part of the interior appearing to hang over passengers' seats, while another dramatic image shows food, wine bottles, and trays scattered across the floor.
Harriet Sinclair
What we know about Singapore Airlines turbulence
One British man died and 30 others were injured amid severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight.
LATEST | A British man has died in severe turbulence on a flight from London to Singapore, with at least 30 others injured. Follow live updates from Yahoo News here https://t.co/7YKM3l4Qrr pic.twitter.com/Q954MjkmPE
— Yahoo News UK (@YahooNewsUK) May 21, 2024
