Every now and then we hear of plane encountering extreme turbulence, resulting in accidents. Sadly within the case of a current flight, it ended up being deadly. Within the hours following this occasion, extra particulars are rising, and the harm to the jet is fairly surprising.
Fatality onboard Singapore Airways jet
This incident includes a Singapore Airways flight from London (LHR) to Singapore (SIN), SQ321. The flight was purported to depart at 10:05PM on Monday, Might 20, 2024, and land in Singapore at 6:10PM on Tuesday, Might 21, 2024. It was operated by a 16-year-old Boeing 777-300ER with the license plate 9V-SWM, and had a complete of 211 passengers and 18 crew onboard.
The jet took off from London final evening at 10:38PM, and started its 12+ hour flight to Singapore. The vast majority of the flight was routine, till a few hours earlier than arrival.
The plane hit extreme turbulence, inflicting 30 accidents and one fatality. The fatality was a 73-year-old man from the UK who was touring in premium financial system. It’s believed that he had a coronary heart situation, and should have died of a coronary heart assault. Moreover, seven individuals are reportedly in essential situation.
My ideas are with those that have been onboard their flights, in addition to their households. How past tragic. The extent of injury this plane suffered is unbelievable. We’re not simply speaking about private gadgets being thrown round, but additionally main harm to panels and extra. It’s a reminder of how rapidly issues can change when flying.
Given the extent of injury and accidents within the cabin, the choice was made to divert to Bangkok (BKK), the place the aircraft landed round 3:45PM native time.
Now, I see quite a lot of media reporting that the jet “plunged” 6,000 toes inside minutes. Based mostly on what I can see, the jet descended from 37,000 toes to round 31,000 toes in 4 minutes. I wouldn’t name a descent fee of 1,500 toes per minute a “plunge,” as that’s a reasonably normal descent fee underneath regular circumstances. That’s to not say that there wasn’t an air pocket that precipitated an enormous drop, nevertheless it possible wasn’t 6,000 toes.
Right here’s how Singapore Airways describes this incident in an announcement:
We will verify that there are accidents and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER. There have been a complete of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board. Singapore Airways affords its deepest condolences to the household of the deceased. Our precedence is to offer all potential help to all passengers and crew on board the plane. We’re working with the native authorities in Thailand to offer the required medical help, and sending a crew to Bangkok to offer any further help wanted.
At all times put on your seat belt!
Aviation is an extremely secure type of transportation, so we regularly overlook the only approach we are able to defend ourselves when flying, which is to put on our seatbelts. It’s essential to do that not simply when the seatbelt signal is on, but additionally when it’s off (assuming you’re seated), since turbulence can occur at any time.
A overwhelming majority of the time, these injured throughout turbulence are individuals who don’t have their seatbelts on. Should you’re buckled in, your largest danger is one other object turning into airborne and hitting you whereas seated. In the meantime should you’re not buckled in, you may change into that object flying by way of the cabin.
Whereas extreme turbulence causes accidents now and again, it’s exceedingly uncommon to see a fatality. In spite of everything, we typically go lengthy stretches with out a single inflight fatality from a passenger that’s associated to security (versus somebody simply dying as a consequence of an unrelated situation). As a matter of truth, I feel this could be the primary security associated fatality onboard a Singapore Airways flight in… a really very long time?
Now, admittedly this fatality could have been as a consequence of a coronary heart situation that was triggered by the incident, so maybe this shouldn’t even rely, for these functions. It doesn’t change the tragedy of this, although.
Backside line
A Singapore Airways Boeing 777 encountered extreme turbulence a number of hours in the past, whereas enroute from London to Singapore. Whereas extreme turbulence with accidents occurs now and again, this was outstanding, as there was a fatality, which we nearly by no means see. On high of that, seven individuals are in essential situation.
What a horrible state of affairs. Right here’s to hoping that the seven folks in essential situation are in a position to get better.
