Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Pong has praised the remarkable efforts of his staff following a tragic turbulence incident that resulted in the death of a British passenger and numerous injuries. The incident occurred on flight SQ321 from London to Singapore, which had to divert to Bangkok, Thailand, after encountering severe turbulence over the Indian Ocean on May 21st.
The Boeing B777-ER aircraft, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, made an emergency landing in Bangkok due to a medical crisis. Geoff Kitchen, a 73-year-old from Gloucestershire, suffered a suspected heart attack amid the turbulence, leading to his death. Over 100 people received hospital treatment in Bangkok, with passengers and crew who were not seriously injured being transported to Singapore the following day.
In a memo to staff, Singapore Airlines mentioned that they are continuing to support the injured passengers and staff. Mr. Goh personally visited the hospital last week to offer his support. The Singapore Transport Safety Investigation Bureau will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
Singapore Airlines is renowned for its safety, with the last fatal accident occurring in 2000 when a Boeing 747 attempted to take off from the wrong runway in Taiwan, resulting in 83 fatalities out of the 179 onboard.
