Singapore Airlines | Fell 54 metres in 5 seconds: What the report says about the flight that had extreme turbulence and left one dead and dozens injured
image Source, Getty Images
- Author, Thomas Mackintosh and Katy Austin
- Role, BBC News
The first investigation into the severe turbulence that hit the Singapore Airlines flight last week showed the plane fell about 178 feet (54 meters) in 4.6 seconds.
One passenger was killed and dozens injured on Tuesday, May 21 London-Singapore flight faced turbulence myanmar and was diverted to Thailand,
Researchers in Singapore extracted information stored in the black boxes, which record flight data and sounds from the plane’s cockpit.
singapore airlines said it was cooperating with investigators and providing assistance to affected passengers and crew, including medical and hospital expenses, as well as “any additional assistance they may require”.
Preliminary findings from the Transportation Security Investigation Bureau (TSIB) have revealed Rapid change in gravitational force (g) and Drop in height – a distance roughly equal to the height of the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy – possibly injured those on board He was not wearing a seat belt.,
image Source, Reuters
The TSIB said the flight operated normally until it flew through an area of ”developing convective activity” while passing over southern Myanmar at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,300 meters).
“Rapid changes during g 4.6 seconds long As a result a 178 ft (54 m) drop in elevationfrom 37,362 feet to 37,184 feet,” that office said in the report.
“This sequence of events possibly resulted in injuries to the crew and passengers,” he said.
He further said, “When the cabin crew informed the pilots that there were injured passengers in the cockpit, it was decided to divert to Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok, Thailand.”
image Source, Reuters
About 17 minutes later Following the turbulence incident, the pilots were able to make a “controlled descent from 37,000 feet”, according to the report, which added that the aircraft did not encounter any other serious turbulence during its diversion to Bangkok.
The pilots also requested medical services to receive them on arrival.
The TSIB, which operates under Singapore’s Transport Ministry, said its investigation was yet to be completed.
“A vertical roller coaster”
According to Singapore Airlines, the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members.
Briton Geoff Kitchen, 73, died of a suspected heart attack on the plane, while 104 other passengers were taken to Bangkok’s Samitivej Hospital for treatment.
Ali Bukhari, 27, who was sitting with his wife Ramiza, told the BBC that the plane went into “free fall”.
,It was scary. It was like going down a vertical roller coaster.“ he assured.
“All the oxygen masks had come loose, the interiors of the plane were damaged (…) I thought it was because of the force of the turbulence, but largely it was because all the people who weren’t wearing seat belts were blown into the air and hit the ceiling,” he added.
,We saw blood on the ceiling (…) It was total chaos. There were so many people on the ground,” he said.
Singapore Airlines said the “safety and well-being” of its passengers and staff are its “top priorities”.
“We deeply appreciate the invaluable support provided by the governments of Singapore and Thailand, as well as our many partners and medical teams in both countries and around the world,” he said.
On Thursday 23rd, Aidinun Kittiratanapaibool, director of Samitevej Srinakarin Hospital, said staff initially treated six people for skull and brain injuries, 22 people for spinal cord injuries, and 13 people for bone, muscle and other ailments.
“We have never treated people with these types of injuries caused by unrest,” Kittiratanapaibool told reporters.
According to Singapore Airlines, as of Wednesday, 42 passengers on the plane remained in Bangkok, 26 of whom were being treated in hospital.
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