One dead and many others were injured after a Singapore Airlines flight SQ321, travelling from London (Heathrow) to Singapore, encountered severe turbulence and was forced to divert to Bangkok on Tuesday, May 21. The Boeing 777-300ER landed safely at 15:45 hours local time, said Singapore Airlines in a statement issued on X (formerly Twitter).
Authorities have confirmed injuries and one fatality on board. Singapore Airlines expressed its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased.
Visuals From Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok
Confirming the accident, the Airlines said its flight SQ 321 of May 20, 2024, “encountered severe turbulence en-route. The aircraft diverted to Bangkok and landed at 1545 hours local time. We can confirm that there are injuries and one fatality on board the Boeing 777-300ER. There were a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board.”
Singapore Airlines Issued a Statment
“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,” the airline added.
Unverified claims circulate on social media regarding "air pockets."
Some reports on X (Twitter) suggests the aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER, may have dropped about 6,000 feet due to what some reports describe as an air pocket.