One person was reportedly killed and more than 30 others were injured during the flight. According to AP and BBC reports, flight SQ321 from London Heathrow made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand at around 3:45 p.m. on the day.
“One passenger was killed and 30 others were injured. Seven of them were seriously injured. Most of the injuries were head-scratching injuries,” said Kitipong, the airport’s chief. The Guardian reported that the death toll was a 73-year-old British man who had a heart condition.
Singapore Airlines confirmed that the aircraft was a Boeing 777-300ER model, with a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew members on board. “The aircraft, which was passing by the Andaman Sea near Myanmar about 40 minutes before the accident, plunged 1,900 meters in altitude for about three minutes,” AP said after analyzing data from Flightradar24, an aircraft route tracking site. “The aircraft remained at the same altitude for 10 minutes before landing at Bangkok airport about 30 minutes later.” “The plane suddenly swung as it tilted, and as the aircraft made a sharp drop, people without seatbelts bounced upwards,” one passenger told Reuters. “They hit their heads against the lights in the baggage compartment or ceiling above the seats.” Thai authorities sent ambulances and emergency teams to Suvarnabhumi Airport. The rescue teams reportedly moved the injured people off the runway and then to nearby hospitals. On the social network service (SNS), a procession of ambulances leaving Suvarnabhumi Airport and videos showing the inside of the aircraft are spreading right after the accident.”We express our condolences to the deceased and their families who died in the Singapore Airlines plane crash,” Singapore President Tarman Shanmugaratnam said on social media. “We wish the injured a speedy recovery and will cooperate with Bangkok authorities to support those involved in the accident.” Singapore’s Transport Minister Cha Hong-rim also said, “We are saddened by the news of the incident on the Singapore Airlines flight,” adding that he will provide necessary support to passengers and their families.
JULIE KIM
US ASIA JOURNAL
