A passenger died aboard a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore after the plane encountered severe turbulence, on Tuesday.
Death on London-Singapore flight: Here’s what we know
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The Boeing 777-300ER, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, was diverted to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, where it landed at 15:45 local time (10:45 CAT).
As reported by AP News, emergency crews from Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital were on site to assist injured passengers and to transfer them for further medical treatment.
According to Singapore Airlines, the turbulence caused the plane to suddenly descend from 37,000 feet to 31,000 feet over three minutes.
The aircraft remained at 31,000 feet for about 10 minutes before descending rapidly to land in Bangkok.
Videos posted on social media showed ambulances arriving at the scene to aid the injured.
The airline extended its condolences to the deceased passenger’s family and stated that they were cooperating with Thai authorities to provide necessary assistance.
The exact cause of the turbulence and the specifics of the passenger’s death have not been disclosed. Singapore Airlines has sent a team to Bangkok to offer additional support.
Are Boeing planes safe?
Recent incidents involving Boeing aircraft have raised concerns about their safety.
However, experts assert that flying remains one of the safest modes of transportation.
In recent months, several high-profile incidents involving Boeing planes have made headlines.
For example, an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max experienced a blown-out door plug, creating a gaping hole in the fuselage.
Another Boeing jet experienced severe turbulence, causing passengers to be thrown against the cabin ceiling, resulting in multiple injuries.
Additionally, a passenger plane collided with a military plane at a Tokyo airport, killing five members of the Japanese Coast Guard.
Despite these incidents, aviation experts maintain that air travel is extremely safe.
Speaking to CNN, Anthony Brickhouse, a crash investigator and professor of aviation safety at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, emphasises that passengers are safer on an aeroplane than during their car ride to the airport.
“Pilots, air traffic controllers, mechanics — they’re all human, and humans make mistakes. We’ve been working toward designing the system so that when mistakes are made, we can recover from them without it being a tragedy,” Brickhouse said.
The near-perfect safety record of the American aviation industry is often cited to support this claim.