A turbulent Singapore Airlines flight from London left dozens injured on Tuesday, with over 20 passengers sustaining spinal injuries, according to a Bangkok hospital
treating some of the affected individuals.
Adinun Kittiratanapaibool, director of Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in Bangkok, reported on Thursday that the hospital is treating 22 patients for spine and spinal cord injuries, six for skull and brain injuries, and another 13 for bone, muscle, or soft tissue issues. Seventeen of these patients have undergone surgeries, ranging from suturing to more complex spinal operations.
Flight SQ321 from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence at 37,000 feet, causing the plane to drop sharply before climbing back several hundred feet, repeating this pattern for about a minute. Many passengers were having breakfast at the time.
Post-incident visuals showed significant damage inside the aircraft, including smashed open overhead compartments and dangling emergency oxygen masks. A photo of the galley depicted a section of the ceiling open with parts hanging down, and trays, containers, plastic bottles, and hot beverage pots scattered across the floor.
Following the turbulence, the plane, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew, made an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, where ambulances and emergency response teams awaited.
The injured passengers included citizens from Australia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain, the United States, and Ireland. Of the 71 reported injuries, 55 people remain hospitalized, including 40 at Samitivej Srinakarin.
A 73-year-old British man with a pre-existing heart condition, identified as Geoff Kitchen, died on board. The Thornbury Musical Theatre Group, where he worked for over 35 years, described him as "always a gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity."
Following the incident, 143 passengers and crew from the original flight were flown to Singapore on a relief flight sent by Singapore Airlines on Wednesday morning. Photo by Kentaro Iemoto from Tokyo, Japan, Wikimedia commons.