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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
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 1 death and 104 injuries. The aircraft subsequently made an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. The accident was Singapore Airlines' first fatal aviation accident since the crash of Flight 006 in 2000 and the first fatal accident involving the Boeing 777 since Emirates Flight 521 in 2016.

Aircraft

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The aircraft involved was a 16-year-old Boeing 777-312ER,[a] registered as 9V-SWM, with manufacturer serial number 34578 and line number 701. It was equipped with two General Electric GE90-115B engines and was delivered to Singapore Airlines in February 2008.[1][2][3] It was one of two Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-300ERs to be temporarily converted into freighters in 2020, as the airline had tapped into freight as an alternative revenue stream amid depressed passenger demand during the COVID-19 pandemic.[4][1]

Accident

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The Boeing 777-312ER encountered severe turbulence at around 07:49 UTC on 21 May 2024 (14:19 local time)[3] over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar, around 360 nautical miles (667 km; 414 mi) from Bangkok.[5][6] Cabin crew members were in the midst of serving breakfast[7] when the turbulence became sufficiently severe for unsecured passengers and objects to become airborne inside the cabin.[5][6] Some passengers said 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 (11,278 m) at the time of the encounter.[9]

One passenger died and 104 others were injured,[10] with 20 of them in intensive care.[11] The sole fatality was a 73-year-old British man travelling with his wife, who was hospitalised.[12] The man was suffering from a heart condition and died from a suspected heart attack.[5][6] At least five medical personnel, four doctors and a nurse, were on board as passengers and tended to the injured despite sustaining injuries during the turbulence.[13][14] Fifteen Britons,[10] twelve Australians,[15] nine Malaysians,[12] five Filipinos,[16] four New Zealanders, two Singaporeans, and a Hongkonger were also injured.[11][17] The oldest person to receive treatment was an 83-year old.[18] Most victims were treated for fractures including to the vertebrae and skull, as well as internal damage to the brain, spinal cord and other organs.[19] Images show that the oxygen masks were hanging after parts of the aircraft's interior were damaged.[20][21] The accident was Singapore Airlines' first fatal aviation accident since the crash of Flight 006 in 2000 and the first fatal accident involving the Boeing 777-300ER.[10]

Preliminary investigations suggested the flight experienced rapid vertical force changes and an altitude drop of around 177 ft (54 m)[22] The flight was then diverted to Bangkok, where it made an emergency landing at 15:45 local time.[23][5][6] Singapore Airlines dispatched a relief flight which carried 131 passengers and 12 crew members to Singapore the next morning.[9][24]

Investigation

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Data from both the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) were subsequently obtained by investigators from the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB),[25] a department within the Ministry of Transport of Singapore, who arrived in Bangkok on the night of the accident.[26][27][28]

The US National Transportation Safety Board was also reported to be sending an accredited representative and four technical advisers to support the investigation process as the accident involved an American-built aircraft.[26]

Preliminary investigations released by TSIB on 29 May 2024 are based on preliminary analysis of the FDR and CVR. These revealed that the turbulence was first encountered at 07:49:21 UTC, the aircraft experienced positive vertical forces fluctuating between 0.44G and 1.57G for about 19 seconds, with an uncommanded increase of aircraft altitude to 37,362 feet (11,388 m). The turbulence caused the plane to vibrate. The autopilot, being engaged, pitched the plane downwards to return to 37,000 feet (11,278 m). There was also an uncommanded increase in airspeed, which the pilots extended the speed brakes to counteract for. At 07:49:32 UTC, one of the pilots called out that the fasten seatbelt signs had been turned on. At 07:49:40 UTC the aircraft experienced a drop in vertical acceleration from +1.35G to -1.5G within 0.6 seconds, which likely caused unrestrained passengers to become airborne. At 07:49:41 UTC the vertical acceleration changed from -1.5G to +1.5G in 4 seconds, which would have caused airborne occupants to fall.[29]

Through this 4.6 second sequence, the aircraft was recorded as dropping from 37,362 feet (11,388 m) to 37,184 feet (11,334 m), a fall of 178 feet (54.3 m). The pilots manually controlled the aircraft for 21 seconds to stabilise the aircraft and re-engaged the autopilot at 07:50:05 UTC. The aircraft returned to its selected altitude of 37,000 feet at 07:50:23 UTC. The uncommanded increase in airspeed and altitude was likely due to an updraft. No further severe turbulence was encountered for the remaining flight to Bangkok.[29]

Aftermath

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After the accident, Singapore Airlines announced it would modify its cabin service routines. In addition to the suspension of hot beverage service when the seat belt sign was on, the meal service would also be suspended. The current policy of crew members securing all loose items and equipment in the cabin during poor weather conditions would continue.[30] The airline offered compensation payments of $10,000 to victims with minor injuries and an "advance payment" of $25,000 for those seriously injured as well as further discussions to meet "their specific circumstances". It also offered a full fare refund and S$1,000 to all passengers on board to cover immediate expenses and arrangements for relatives to fly to Bangkok where requested.[31]

On 22 May 2024, the CEO of Singapore Airlines 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[10] and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.[32]

The accident aircraft was subsequently cleared to continue flying, and returned to Singapore on 26 May.[33][34] It subsequently completed a functional flight check on 23 July in preparation for a return to service.[35] On 27 July, the aircraft returned to service and resumed operations, flying from Singapore to Shanghai as SQ830. A Singapore Airlines spokesperson stated that the aircraft also "met the safety requirements set by the aircraft manufacturer, passed stringent safety checks by SIA’s engineering and flight operations teams, and successfully completed a functional check flight before its return to service."[36]

See also

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Notes

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  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

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  1. ^ a b Chua, Alfred (21 May 2024). "Severe turbulence leaves one dead aboard SIA 777". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Singapore Aircraft Register as at 30 June 2020" (PDF). Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  3. ^ a b Petchenik, Ian (21 May 2024). "1 dead, dozens injured in SQ321 turbulence". Flightradar24 Blog. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  4. ^ Chua, Alfred (7 November 2020). "SIA converts two 777-300ERs into temporary freighters". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ 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 c d Tan, Yvette (23 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines apologises for deadly 'traumatic' flight". BBC.
  11. ^ a b "'Sheer terror': Passengers describe turbulence-hit flight that put 20 in intensive care". Associated Press. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  12. ^ a b Napat, Kongsawad (22 May 2024). "Most of passengers from battered Singapore Airlines jetliner arrive in Singapore from Bangkok". Associated Press.
  13. ^ "They went on a honeymoon to Europe. Then 60 seconds of hell in the air turned it into an experience they'll never forget". Yahoo News. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  14. ^ "Turbulence horror: newlywed doctors on SQ321 describe treating fellow passengers". South China Morning Post. 31 May 2024. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  15. ^ "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.
  16. ^ "5 Filipinos, including child, on turbulence-hit flight remain in hospital: embassy". ABS-CBN. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  17. ^ "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.
  18. ^ "Toddler among 40 in hospital after turbulence flight". BBC. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Singapore Airlines tightens cabin safety measures after turbulence killed one, injured dozens". AP News. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  20. ^ Tham, Ashley (21 May 2024). "Head injuries and bleeding ears: Passengers recount chaos on turbulent Singapore Airlines flight". CNA. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  21. ^ "Elderly British man dies after severe turbulence hits Singapore Airlines flight". CNA. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  22. ^ "SQ321 turbulence: 'Rapid' G-force changes, altitude drop likely caused injuries to unbelted passengers, crew". CNA. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  23. ^ Guinto, Joel; Fraser, Simon; Khalil, Hafsa; Tan, Yvette (22 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines: One dead, several hurt in severe turbulence". BBC News. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024.
  24. ^ "Singapore Airlines relief flight arrives at Changi Airport after passengers, crew shaken by severe turbulence". CNA. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  25. ^ Nian Tjoe, Lee (24 May 2024). "SQ321 incident: S'porean previously in ICU among passengers discharged from Thai hospital". The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  26. ^ a b Christine, Tan (22 May 2024). "Singapore's transport investigators in Bangkok to probe SQ321 incident". The Straits Times. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  27. ^ "Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 Incident". Ministry of Transport of Singapore. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  28. ^ "Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat s Media Soundbite on Transport Safety Investigation Bureau s Investigation in Singapore Airlines SQ321 Incident". Ministry of Transport of Singapore. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  29. ^ a b "Transport Safety Investigation Bureau Preliminary Investigation Findings of Incident Involving SQ321" (Press release). Ministry of Transport of Singapore. 29 May 2024. Archived from the original on 30 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  30. ^ "No meal service when seat belt sign on: Singapore Airlines adjusts turbulence measures in wake of SQ321". CNA. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  31. ^ "Singapore Airlines turbulence victims offered payout". BBC. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  32. ^ "Singapore President Says 'Hope And Pray' Injured Flight Passengers Recover". Barron's. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  33. ^ "Aircraft hit by severe turbulence returns to Singapore, local media reports". Rappler. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  34. ^ "Aircraft that operated SQ321 returns to Singapore from Bangkok". CNA. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  35. ^ Kok, Yufeng (23 July 2024). "SIA plane hit by turbulence in May makes test flight ahead of planned return to service". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  36. ^ Yaohui, Lim (27 July 2024). "Singapore Airlines plane hit by severe turbulence in May back in service with flight to Shanghai". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 27 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
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