Summary

  • Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong has offered his "deepest apologies to everyone affected" on a London to Singapore flight that encountered severe turbulence

  • The lone fatality has been identified as 73-year-old Geoff Kitchen, who died of a suspected heart attack

  • Seventy-one wounded passengers are being treated at a hospital in Bangkok, where the plane made an emergency landing. Six are in critical condition

  • From the Thai capital, 143 people who were uninjured were flown to Singapore overnight

  • Singapore's new PM Lawrence Wong has promised a "thorough investigation" into the incident

  1. We are pausing live coveragepublished at 07:20 British Summer Time 22 May

    The interior of SQ321 after it made an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International AirportImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    The interior of SQ321 after it made an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport

    We are pausing our live coverage. Here are the main developments:

    • One person died and several others were injured when Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 encountered severe turbulence while en route from London
    • The victim was named as 73-year-old British man, Geoff Kitchen, who died from a suspected heart attack onboard
    • Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong has apologised for the "traumatic experience" of those on board
    • A separate flight carrying 143 passengers and crew who were not seriously injured arrived in Singapore from Bangkok early on Wednesday morning
    • Seventy-nine passengers and six crew members are still in Bangkok. Some of them are receiving medical treatment for injuries
    • This is Singapore Airlines' first fatal incident in 24 years

    This live page was brought to you by our teams in Singapore, London, Sydney and Bangkok.

    Here's more of our coverage:

    'Screaming in agony': Passengers recall horror onboard flight

    What is flight turbulence and why does it happen?

    Singapore Airlines apologises for deadly 'traumatic' flight

    Watch: Passenger walks through wrecked Singapore Airlines cabin

  2. British and Malaysian embassy officials visit those injuredpublished at 07:09 British Summer Time 22 May

    Representatives of the British embassy visit the Samitivej HospitalImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Representatives of the British embassy visit the injured in hospital

    Officials from the British and Malaysian embassies have visited the Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in Bangkok on Wednesday to check on those injured from the flight, the Associated Press news agency reported.

    Sixty-one of those injured are receiving treatment there while 10 have been transferred to other hospitals, the report said.

    The British officials were reportedly taken to the ninth floor where the intensive care unit, and paediatric surgery and bone marrow transport wards are located.

    A general view shows the exterior of Samitivej Srinakarin HospitalImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Some of the injured passengers are receiving treatment at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in Bangkok

  3. Singapore Airlines ranked one of the world's safestpublished at 06:55 British Summer Time 22 May

    Singapore Airlines has a good safety record and has consistently been ranked one of the world's safest carriers.

    Australia-based aviation safety agency AirlineRatings has given it safety and product scores of 7/7, external. In January this year, it ranked Singapore Airlines 13th safest out of a list of 385 different airlines. This however was a drop from fifth place in 2023, external.

    The agency assesses airline safety based on whether the airline has experienced a fatal crash in the last five years, whether it has suffered "serious pilot-related incidents" and whether it has passed all the major audits.

  4. Eyewitness video shows turbulence aftermathpublished at 06:32 British Summer Time 22 May

    Passengers filmed themselves as they walked through SQ321 to disembark. Their footage shows a cabin in disarray. Items can be seen strewn across the floor, oxygen masks hang from the ceiling and an overhead panel appears to be damaged. One woman holds what appears to be a piece of cloth to her head.

    Media caption,

    Eyewitness video shows Singapore Airlines cabin interior

  5. British fatality remembered for 'utmost honesty and integrity'published at 06:18 British Summer Time 22 May

    Geoff KitchenImage source, Unknown
    Image caption,

    Geoff Kitchen

    Geoff Kitchen, who died of a suspected heart attack on the Singapore Airlines flight that encountered severe turbulence, was "a gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity", an English theatre group Mr Kitchen helped run had said.

    "[He] always did what was right for the group," Thornbury Musical Theatre Group in South Gloucestershire said in a statement., external

    It added that the 73-year-old served the group and the local community of Thornbury for over 35 years, holding various offices including chairman, treasurer and most recently, secretary.

    "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and the family at this difficult time," it added.

    UK authorities have said they are supporting Mr Kitchen's family members.

  6. Singapore Airlines CEO offers 'deepest apologies' for 'traumatic experience'published at 06:05 British Summer Time 22 May

    Media caption,

    Singapore Airlines CEO apologises for “traumatic experience” on flight

    Earlier this morning, we heard Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong apologising for the incident.

    In case you missed it, Goh offered his “deepest apologies to everyone affected” by the “sudden extreme turbulence” they experienced on the airline’s London-Singapore flight which departed on Monday.

    “We are deeply saddened by this incident,” Goh said in a video posted to social media.

    He also offered his “deepest condolences to the family and loved ones” of Geoff Kitchen, the British man who died during the incident.

    “We are very sorry for the traumatic experience that everyone on board SQ321 went through,” he added.

  7. In Bangkok, attention shifts to hospitals from the airportpublished at 05:35 British Summer Time 22 May

    Airport authorities in Thailand's capital say they will stop providing updates on the turbulence incident today as they have concluded their emergency mission.

    Seventy-nine passengers and six crew members are still in Bangkok, some of whom are receiving medical treatment for injuries.

    Six people reportedly suffered severe injuries, while 39 have moderate injuries.

    We're reaching out to the hospitals in Bangkok and will bring you updates as we get them.

  8. Here are the latest updatespublished at 05:15 British Summer Time 22 May

    The interior of SQ321 after it made an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International AirportImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    The interior of SQ321 after it made an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport

    It's a little past noon here in Singapore. If you are just joining us, here are the developments in the last few hours:

    • Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong has apologised for the "traumatic experience" of those on board SQ321, which encountered severe turbulence yesterday
    • Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has promised a "thorough investigation" into the incident that left one person dead and dozens others hurt
    • Singapore's transport ministry has deployed investigators to Bangkok, where the Singapore-bound flight from London made an emergency landing.
    • The US has also sent representatives to Bangkok to help with the investigation
    • British media has named Geoff Kitchen as the man who died during severe turbulence
    • The 73-year-old died of a suspected heart attack
    • A separate flight carrying 143 passengers and crew who were not seriously injured arrived in Singapore from Bangkok early Wednesday morning
    • Seventy-nine passengers and six crew members are still in Bangkok. Some of them are receiving medical treatment for injuries
    • This is Singapore Airlines' first fatal incident in 24 years

    We'll bring you the latest updates as we get them.

  9. Singapore PM Lawrence Wong promises 'thorough investigation'published at 04:40 British Summer Time 22 May

    Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has posted a statement on Instagram, external promising a "thorough investigation" into the incident, a few hours after 143 passengers and crew were flown back to Singapore from Bangkok early this morning.

    Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau will conduct a "thorough investigation", he said.

    "My deepest condolences once again to the family and loved ones of the deceased. I also hope and pray that those who are injured will recover and return home soon," he said.

    This incident is one of the biggest incidents Mr Wong has had to face just a week into his role as Singapore's new leader.

  10. It happened in ‘less than 10 seconds’published at 04:17 British Summer Time 22 May

    Dzafran Azmir, a passenger on SQ321, says the turbulence caught many by surprise. He says those who were asleep “really suffered a lot” because they were unable to respond.

    Azmir was wearing his seatbelt when the turbulence hit.

    Media caption,

    Passenger: It happened in ‘less than 10 seconds’

  11. A swift and well-organised operation at Changi Airportpublished at 03:43 British Summer Time 22 May

    Tessa Wong
    Reporting from Singapore Changi Airport

    Reflecting on our night in Singapore's Changi Airport, it was a well organised operation with lots of Singapore Airlines and airport staff on the ground taking care of passengers. The staff steered passengers clear of the media and curious members of the public and quickly ushered them directly to the buses and taxis that have been arranged for them.

    There were also dozens of staff and security officials manning the barricades. Within minutes of the last passenger leaving the terminal, staff were already packing up and putting away the metal barriers that lined half the length of the terminal.

    Passengers of Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from London to Singapore, which made an emergency landing in Bangkok, greet family members upon arrival at Changi Airport in Singapore on May 22, 2024.Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Passengers of the flight greet family members upon arrival at Singapore's Changi Airport

  12. Nationalities of SQ321 passengerspublished at 03:14 British Summer Time 22 May

    Earlier, Singapore Airlines provided details on the diverse nationalities of those on the flight, which reflect Changi Airport's role as a major aviation hub in Asia.

    Seventy-nine passengers and six crew members are still in Bangkok. Some of them are receiving medical treatment for injuries.

    Singapore Airlines SQ321 passenger nationalities
  13. In pictures: The chaos caused by extreme turbulencepublished at 03:01 British Summer Time 22 May

    More pictures are coming in showing the damage on board Singapore Airlines flight SQ321, which was caused by extreme turbulence.

    Debris was scattered in the gallery of the plane because of the incident, which has left one dead and dozens injured.

    Debris on London-Singapore flightImage source, Reuters
    Oxygen masks are seen hanging from the ceiling of the Singapore-London flightImage source, Reuters
    Emergency services arrive in BangkokImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Emergency services in Bangkok are still treating some of the injured

  14. How dangerous is turbulence?published at 02:34 British Summer Time 22 May

    Aircraft are designed to take the worst that turbulence can throw at them, says qualified commercial pilot Guy Gratton, who is an associate professor of aviation and the environment at Cranfield University.

    It’s "unlikely" turbulence will ever destroy an aircraft, he says.

    Nonetheless, it doesn't do an aircraft any good, which is why pilots try to avoid it or slow turn away from the turbulence, while turning the seatbelt sign on.

    Turbulence can be dangerous to people when severe because of the violent motion it can cause, which can throw anyone who is not wearing a seatbelt across the cabin.

    Aviation safety experts say deaths and injuries resulting from turbulence remain rare.

    John Strickland, an aviation expert, says injuries from severe turbulence are "relatively rare" in the context of the millions of flights that are operated.

    • You can read more about it in our flight turbulence explainer here.
  15. Seventy-nine passengers still in Bangkok: Singapore Airlines CEOpublished at 01:56 British Summer Time 22 May

    Media caption,

    Singapore Airlines CEO apologises for “traumatic experience” on flight

    Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said 79 passengers and six crew members - some of whom are receiving medical treatment for injuries - are still in Bangkok where the plane made an emergency landing.

    Goh also offered his “deepest apologies to everyone affected” by the “sudden extreme turbulence” they experienced on the airline’s London-Singapore flight which departed on Monday.

    “We are deeply saddened by this incident,” Goh Choon Phong said in a video posted to social media.

    He also offered his “deepest condolences to the family and loved ones” of Geoff Kitchen, the British man who died during the incident.

    “We are very sorry for the traumatic experience that everyone on board SQ321 went through,” he added.

  16. Passenger describes 'surreal' horror on board flightpublished at 01:28 British Summer Time 22 May

    A passenger on board the Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 told BBC 5 Live that a "perfectly normal" trip descended into terror.

    Andrew, from London, said the plane "suddenly dropped" moments after the signs instructing passengers to put their seatbelts on lit up, sending objects flying around the cabin and leaving him covered in coffee.

    He described the turbulence as "incredibly severe" and unlike anything he has experienced during his years of flying for business.

    While the plane's fall only seemed to last for a few seconds, the scene afterwards was "surreal", Andrew said.

    He recalled seeing an "elderly lady with an awful gash on her head covered in blood", while another woman was "screaming in agony with a bad back".

    Andrew said he was sitting close to the British man who died of a suspected heart attack, and saw another man who was so badly injured he had to lie on the floor for the remainder of the flight.

  17. What we know about the Singapore Airlines incidentpublished at 01:00 British Summer Time 22 May

    Matt Murphy
    Live editor

    If you're just joining our coverage, here is a summary of what we have learned about the Singapore Airlines incident throughout the last several hours.

    • The UK Foreign Office is supporting the family of British man Geoff Kitchen, 73, who died on board a Singapore Airlines flight on Tuesday.
    • A local theatre group he helped run named him on Monday, in a statement shared on Facebook. Kitchen was described as a "gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity".
    • Flight SQ321 from London to Singapore was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand, after more than 30 passengers were injured during "severe extreme turbulence".
    • Seven people received critical injuries after the plane dropped through the air, sending people and objects flying around the cabin
    • Witnesses have described scenes of terror and panic on board, with one person saying some passengers were left "screaming in agony".
    • A flight carrying 143 passengers and crew who were not seriously injured has just arrived in Singapore from Bangkok in the last few minutes
    • Investigators from Singapore and the US - where Boeing, the manufacture of the plane involved, is based - have deployed officials to look into the circumstances of the incident
    Flight path of the SQ321 planeImage source, .BBC
  18. Eight Australians injured in London-Singapore flightpublished at 00:40 British Summer Time 22 May

    Simon Atkinson
    Australia producer, BBC News

    The Australian government says eight Australians are among the injured in the Singapore Airlines flight that suffered turbulence on Monday.

    Earlier, the airline said more than 30 people had been injured.

    The London-Singapore flight was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members when it experienced severe turbulence and had to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand.

    In total, 56 Australians were on board - the largest number of people from one nationality (as we reported earlier on).

  19. 'My son got thrown all over the place'published at 00:15 British Summer Time 22 May

    Tessa Wong
    Reporting from Singapore Changi Airport

    Earlier, we spoke to the father of a Singaporean passenger who has just arrived back in the country.

    Chiew says his 22-year-old son was in London on holiday visiting his girlfriend, who was studying there on an exchange programme. The pair were flying back to Singapore on SQ321 when turbulence hit.

    He told the BBC: "My son was on his way to the restroom, while his girlfriend was seated. Both are okay.

    "He said he wasn't injured, he was all right - but he's a bit bruised, he was thrown all over the place."

    He said his son had messaged him yesterday afternoon to say he had landed in Bangkok after the flight was diverted.

    "When he told us we were shocked, we didn't know the severity of his injuries. I told him to get a check-up, to check his head for possible concussions."

    He said he was looking forward to seeing his son.

    "We're blessed that he's well and so is his girlfriend. But when something like this happens, you don't know until you look at him physically. We're going straight home, he needs the rest."

  20. Over 140 SQ321 passengers and staff arrive in Singaporepublished at 23:47 British Summer Time 21 May
    Breaking

    Singapore Airlines says that over 143 staff and passengers who were aboard the SQ321 flight when it hit turbulence have arrived at Changi Airport from Bangkok.

    In a statement released shortly after the flight landed, the airline said 131 passengers and 12 crew members had arrived back in Singapore.

    "Transportation to their homes or hotel accommodation has been arranged for passengers travelling to Singapore," the statement said.

    "For passengers with onward connections, we have rebooked them on alternative flights. We have also arranged hotel accommodation or lounge access for them to rest until their next flight."

    The company said another 79 passengers and six crew members were still in Bangkok, where some are receiving medial care.