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Singapore Airlines Flight 321

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Singapore Airlines Flight 321
9V-SWM, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in 2021
Accident
Date21 May 2024 (2024-05-21)
SummaryIn-flight turbulence, under investigation
SiteOver Myaungmya District Myanmar
16°29′06″N 95°11′24″E / 16.48500°N 95.19000°E / 16.48500; 95.19000
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBoeing 777-312ER[a]
OperatorSingapore Airlines
IATA flight No.SQ321
ICAO flight No.SIA321
Call signSINGAPORE 321
Registration9V-SWM
Flight originHeathrow Airport, London, United Kingdom
DestinationChangi Airport, Singapore
Occupants229
Passengers211
Crew18
Fatalities1
Injuries104
Survivors228
Route map

On 21 May 2024, a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-312ER operating as Flight 321, flying a scheduled passenger flight from London Heathrow Airport to Singapore Changi Airport carrying 229 occupants on board, encountered severe turbulence over Myanmar, resulting in a death and 104 injuries.[1] The aircraft subsequently made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.[2][3][4][5] The accident was Singapore Airlines' first fatal aviation accident since the crash of Flight 006 in 2000.[1]

Aircraft

The plane involved was a 16-year-old Boeing 777-312ER[a], registered as 9V-SWM, with manufacturer serial number 34578 and line number 701.[6] The aircraft was delivered to Singapore Airlines in 2008.[citation needed]

Turbulence

The Boeing 777-312ER encountered severe clear-air turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar, around 360 nautical miles (667 km; 414 mi) from Bangkok.[4][5] The plane fell into a vertical draft[failed verification – see discussion] while the cabin crew were serving breakfast.[7] When the plane next encountered the turbulence, the passengers and objects were thrown into the air.[4][5] Some passengers claim the "fasten seat belt" sign was turned on too late to prevent injuries.[8] Tracking data showed that the aircraft was at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,000 m) at the time of the encounter.[9]

A passenger died and 104 others were injured,[1] with 20 of them in intensive care.[10] The sole fatality was 73-year-old British man Geoff Kitchen [11]travelling with his wife, who was hospitalised.[2] The man was suffering from a heart condition and died from a suspected heart attack.[4][5] The Malaysian Foreign Ministry said nine of its citizens, including a crew member, were injured, one of them critically,[2] while the Philippine embassy confirmed that five of its nationals were injured including a two-year-old male infant.[12] At least fifteen Britons,[1] twelve Australians,[13] two Singaporeans, a Hong Kong citizen and four New Zealanders were also injured.[10][14] The oldest person to receive treatment was an 83-year old.[15] Images show that the oxygen masks were hanging after parts of the aircraft's interior were damaged.[16][17]

Singapore Airlines said the aircraft descended 6,000 feet (2,000 m) within three minutes.[2] However, this descent was initiated 15 minutes after the turbulence encounter and was a controlled descent.[18] The flight was then diverted to Bangkok, where it made an emergency landing at 15:45 local time.[19][20][21] Singapore Airlines dispatched a relief flight which carried 131 passengers and 12 crew members to Singapore the next morning.[9][22][23]

Investigation

Investigators from the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau, a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of Singapore, arrived in Bangkok on the night of the accident.[24] They were reported to be working with Thai counterparts for the investigation.[7]

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was also reported to be sending an accredited representative and four technical advisers to support the investigation process as the accident involved a Boeing aircraft.[24]

Aftermath

After the accident, the company modified its cabin service routines, including stopping the hot beverages and hot meal services when the seatbelt sign is on. Before the accident, the cabin crew would secure only loose items and equipment during bad weather.[25]

On 22 May 2024, Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong apologized for what happened on flight SQ321 and expressed condolences while pledging full cooperation with the ongoing investigation. Condolences were also issued by Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong[1] and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.[26]

See also

Other similar aviation occurrences:

Notes

  1. ^ a b The airliner was a Boeing 777-300ER model; Boeing assigns a unique code for each company that buys one of its airliners, which is applied as a suffix to the model number at the time the aircraft is built, hence "777-312ER" designates a 777-300ER built for Singapore Airlines (customer code 12).

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Tan, Yvette (23 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines apologises for deadly 'traumatic' flight". BBC.
  2. ^ a b c d Napat, Kongsawad (22 May 2024). "Most of passengers from battered Singapore Airlines jetliner arrive in Singapore from Bangkok". Associated Press.
  3. ^ Guinto, Joel; Fraser, Simon (21 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines: One dead, several hurt in severe turbulence". BBC News.
  4. ^ a b c d Gecsoyler, Sammy; Lowe, Yohannes (21 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines flight: British man dead and 30 injured after severe turbulence – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Amos, Owen; Moloney, Marita; Cursino, Malu (21 May 2024). "British man, 73, dies during severe turbulence on London-Singapore flight". BBC. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Accident Boeing 777-312ER 9V-SWM,". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b Rakshika, Vihanya; Hamzah, Aqil; Yufeng, Kok (21 May 2024). "One dead, dozens injured after Singapore Airlines flight from London hit by severe turbulence". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Singapore Airlines: Passengers describe chaos of fatal turbulence flight". Sky News. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b Ekvitthayavechnukul, Chalida (21 May 2024). "British man dies and several passengers are injured when turbulence hits a Singapore Airlines flight". Associated Press. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  10. ^ a b "'Sheer terror': Passengers describe turbulence-hit flight that put 20 in intensive care". Associated Press. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  11. ^ fraser, simon. "singapore airlines". bbc. bbc news. Retrieved 23/05/2024. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)
  12. ^ "5 Filipinos, including child, on turbulence-hit flight remain in hospital: embassy". ABS-CBN. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Three Australians in intensive care in Thailand as more passengers relive extreme turbulence on Singapore Airlines flight". ABC. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Singapore Airlines turbulence: Four Kiwis required hospital treatment following flight SQ321, one remains in intensive care unit". The New Zealand Herald. 23 May 2024. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Toddler among 40 in hospital after turbulence flight". BBC. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  16. ^ Tham, Ashley (21 May 2024). "Head injuries and bleeding ears: Passengers recount chaos on turbulent Singapore Airlines flight". CNA. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  17. ^ "Elderly British man dies after severe turbulence hits Singapore Airlines flight". CNA. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Turbulences sur un vol de Singapore Airlines : "Une descente contrôlée, délibérément choisie par les pilotes", analyse un aviateur". Franceinfo (in French). 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  19. ^ Hradecky, Simon (21 May 2024). "Accident: Singapore B773 near Bangkok on May 21st 2024, severe turbulence kills one and injures 30". The Aviation Herald. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  20. ^ Sinclair, Harriet (21 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines latest: Passenger killed and 30 injured in turbulence on London flight". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  21. ^ "One dead and others injured after turbulence hits London to Singapore flight". Financial Times. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  22. ^ "Singapore Airlines relief flight arrives at Changi Airport after passengers, crew shaken by severe turbulence". CNA. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  23. ^ Gene, Ng Keng; Shan, Chin Hui (22 May 2024). "SIA relief flight with passengers and crew members of SQ321 arrives in Singapore". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  24. ^ a b Christine, Tan (22 May 2024). "Singapore's transport investigators in Bangkok to probe SQ321 incident". The Straits Times. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  25. ^ "No meal service when seat belt sign on: Singapore Airlines adjusts turbulence measures in wake of SQ321". CNA. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  26. ^ "Singapore President Says 'Hope And Pray' Injured Flight Passengers Recover". Barron's. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
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