Update: Death toll rises to 2.
Breaking news on May 21st! According to reports from maritime media, Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 flying from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence mid-flight. The aircraft made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. The incident has tragically resulted in 1 fatality and 30 injuries.
It is reported that the flight took off from London Heathrow Airport bound for Singapore Changi Airport, with an original scheduled landing time of 6:10 p.m. local time.
However, the flight encountered severe turbulence en route and had to make an emergency landing at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand. Prior to landing, the aircraft squawked the emergency code 7700 (indicating mechanical issues or onboard medical emergencies).
The aircraft involved is a Boeing 777-300 with a 16-year service history. According to data from the aviation enthusiast website Planespotters, this aircraft joined the Singapore Airlines fleet in February 2008.
Reports also indicate that yesterday afternoon at 3:45 p.m. local time, there were extreme tropical thunderstorms in Thailand and surrounding areas. It is speculated that the casualties occurred because passengers did not fasten their seatbelts during the flight and experienced excessive turbulence during the storm.
