'Sheer Terror': Three Australians in Intensive Care After Singapore Airlines Flight Hits Turbulence

 

Three Australians remain in intensive care at a Bangkok hospital following a severe turbulence incident on a Singapore Airlines flight earlier this week. Flight SQ321, traveling from London to Singapore, encountered turbulence on Tuesday, resulting in a dramatic altitude drop that led to the death of a 73-year-old British man and an emergency diversion to Bangkok.

Among the 20 passengers receiving intensive care treatment at Samitivej Srinakarin hospital are six Britons, six Malaysians, two Singaporeans, and one person each from Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the Philippines. Nine of the ICU patients have already undergone surgery, with five more awaiting procedures. Outside of intensive care, at least nine additional Australians remain hospitalized in Bangkok.

A spokesperson for the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed that there were 12 Australians and one permanent resident in Bangkok hospitals, with one Australian already discharged. Many of the hospitalized passengers sustained head injuries, according to Thai officials.

An Adelaide man reported that his wife, who had been standing when the plane dropped, may be hospitalized for weeks due to her injuries. Of the 211 passengers and 18 crew members onboard the Boeing 777, 79 passengers and six crew stayed in Bangkok, with most hospitalized. Singapore Airlines CEO, Goh Choon Phong, provided these details.

Aviation investigators, including advisors from the US National Transportation Safety Board due to the involvement of a Boeing aircraft, arrived in Bangkok on Wednesday to examine the incident. Meanwhile, passengers fit to travel began leaving Bangkok, including 131 on a special flight to Singapore.

Josh Silverstone, a 24-year-old from South London, described his experience after being discharged with a cut eye and chipped tooth. He recounted waking up on the floor of the plane, not realizing what had happened due to a head injury. Silverstone experienced severe symptoms, including vomiting and difficulty walking, and shared his fear by messaging his mother during the flight.

Beverley Mayers, uninjured but shaken, described the situation as "sheer terror," noting the plane's violent shuddering and debris falling. Newlyweds Ali and Ramiza Bukhari expressed relief at returning home to Sydney, calling the experience "very traumatic."

Photographs from inside the cabin showed a chaotic scene with oxygen masks hanging, food and drinks scattered, and bloodstains on the carpet. One passenger reported that overhead panels had been broken by the force of passengers' heads hitting them during the turbulence.