Singapore Airlines Flight 321

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Singapore Airlines Flight 321
9V-SWM, the aircraft involved in the accident, pictured in 2021
Accident
Date21 May 2024 (2024-05-21)
SummaryIn-flight turbulence, under investigation
SiteOver Myaungmya District, Myanmar
16°29′06″N 95°11′24″E / 16.48500°N 95.19000°E / 16.48500; 95.19000
Aircraft
Aircraft typeBoeing 777-312ER[a]
OperatorSingapore Airlines
IATA flight No.SQ321
ICAO flight No.SIA321
Call signSINGAPORE 321
Registration9V-SWM
Flight originHeathrow Airport, London, United Kingdom
DestinationChangi Airport, Singapore
Occupants229
Passengers211
Crew18
Fatalities1
Injuries104
Survivors228
Route map

On 21 May 2024, a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777-312ER operating as Flight 321, flying a scheduled passenger flight from London Heathrow Airport to Singapore Changi Airport carrying 229 occupants on board, encountered severe turbulence over Myanmar, resulting in 1 death and 104 injuries.[1] The aircraft subsequently made an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.[2][3][4][5] The accident was Singapore Airlines' first fatal aviation accident since the crash of Flight 006 in 2000.[1]

Aircraft[edit]

The aircraft involved was a 16-year-old Boeing 777-312ER[a], registered as 9V-SWM, with manufacturer serial number 34578 and line number 701. It first flew on February 2008 and was equipped with two General Electric GE90-115B engines.[6] The aircraft was delivered to Singapore Airlines in 2008.[citation needed]

Accident[edit]

The Boeing 777-312ER encountered severe turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar, around 360 nautical miles (667 km; 414 mi) from Bangkok.[4][5] The plane fell into an "air pocket" while the cabin crew were serving breakfast.[7] When the plane next encountered the turbulence, the passengers and objects were thrown into the air.[4][5] Some passengers said the "fasten seat belt" sign was turned on too late to prevent injuries.[8] Tracking data showed that the aircraft was at an altitude of 37,000 feet (11,000 m) at the time of the encounter.[9] In the granular data collected by Flightradar24, the plane rapidly ascended to 37,400 feet (11,400 m) before dropping to 36,975 feet (11,300 m), before returning to its original altitude within the span of 62 seconds. This introduced positive gravity forces that would have caused seated passengers to feel pinned against their seats, and negative gravity forces that would have thrown unrestrained passengers and loose items against the ceiling of the cabin.[10]

A passenger died and 104 others were injured,[1] with 20 of them in intensive care.[11] The sole fatality was a 73-year-old British man travelling with his wife, who was hospitalised.[2] The man was suffering from a heart condition and died from a suspected heart attack.[4][5] Fifteen Britons,[1] twelve Australians,[12] nine Malaysians,[2] five Filipinos,[13] four New Zealanders, two Singaporeans, and a Hong Konger were also injured.[11][14] The oldest person to receive treatment was an 83-year old.[15] Most victims were treated for fractures including to the vertebrae and skull, as well as internal damage to the brain, spinal cord and other organs.[16] Images show that the oxygen masks were hanging after parts of the aircraft's interior were damaged.[17][18]

The flight was then diverted to Bangkok, where it made an emergency landing at 15:45 local time.[2][19][20][21][22][excessive citations] Singapore Airlines dispatched a relief flight which carried 131 passengers and 12 crew members to Singapore the next morning.[9][23][24][excessive citations]

Flight 321 arrived at Changi Airport on 26 May after the aircraft was cleared to continue flying.[25]

Investigation[edit]

Data from both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were subsequently obtained by investigators from the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau,[26] a department within the Ministry of Transport of Singapore, who arrived in Bangkok on the night of the accident.[27][28][29]

The US National Transportation Safety Board was also reported to be sending an accredited representative and four technical advisers to support the investigation process as the accident involved an American-built aircraft.[27]

Aftermath[edit]

After the accident, Singapore Airlines announced it would modify its cabin service routines. In addition to the suspension of hot beverage service when the seat belt sign was on, the meal service would also be suspended. The current policy of crew members securing all loose items and equipment in the cabin during poor weather conditions would continue.[30]

On 22 May 2024, Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong apologized for what happened on flight SQ321 and expressed condolences while pledging full cooperation with the ongoing investigation. Condolences were also issued by Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong[1] and President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.[31]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b The airliner was a Boeing 777-300ER model; Boeing assigns a unique code for each company that buys one of its airliners, which is applied as a suffix to the model number at the time the aircraft is built, hence "777-312ER" designates a 777-300ER built for Singapore Airlines (customer code 12).

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Tan, Yvette (23 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines apologises for deadly 'traumatic' flight". BBC.
  2. ^ a b c d Napat, Kongsawad (22 May 2024). "Most of passengers from battered Singapore Airlines jetliner arrive in Singapore from Bangkok". Associated Press.
  3. ^ Guinto, Joel; Fraser, Simon (21 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines: One dead, several hurt in severe turbulence". BBC News.
  4. ^ a b c d Gecsoyler, Sammy; Lowe, Yohannes (21 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines flight: British man dead and 30 injured after severe turbulence – as it happened". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Amos, Owen; Moloney, Marita; Cursino, Malu (21 May 2024). "British man, 73, dies during severe turbulence on London-Singapore flight". BBC. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Accident Boeing 777-312ER 9V-SWM,". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  7. ^ Rakshika, Vihanya; Hamzah, Aqil; Yufeng, Kok (21 May 2024). "One dead, dozens injured after Singapore Airlines flight from London hit by severe turbulence". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  8. ^ "Singapore Airlines: Passengers describe chaos of fatal turbulence flight". Sky News. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  9. ^ a b Ekvitthayavechnukul, Chalida (21 May 2024). "British man dies and several passengers are injured when turbulence hits a Singapore Airlines flight". Associated Press. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  10. ^ Yeo, Mike (24 May 2024). "SQ321 passengers endured 62 seconds of turbulence, flight data shows". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  11. ^ a b "'Sheer terror': Passengers describe turbulence-hit flight that put 20 in intensive care". Associated Press. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Three Australians in intensive care in Thailand as more passengers relive extreme turbulence on Singapore Airlines flight". ABC. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  13. ^ "5 Filipinos, including child, on turbulence-hit flight remain in hospital: embassy". ABS-CBN. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Singapore Airlines turbulence: Four Kiwis required hospital treatment following flight SQ321, one remains in intensive care unit". The New Zealand Herald. 23 May 2024. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  15. ^ "Toddler among 40 in hospital after turbulence flight". BBC. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  16. ^ "Singapore Airlines tightens cabin safety measures after turbulence killed one, injured dozens". AP News. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  17. ^ Tham, Ashley (21 May 2024). "Head injuries and bleeding ears: Passengers recount chaos on turbulent Singapore Airlines flight". CNA. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  18. ^ "Elderly British man dies after severe turbulence hits Singapore Airlines flight". CNA. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Turbulences sur un vol de Singapore Airlines : "Une descente contrôlée, délibérément choisie par les pilotes", analyse un aviateur". Franceinfo (in French). 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  20. ^ Hradecky, Simon (21 May 2024). "Accident: Singapore B773 near Bangkok on May 21st 2024, severe turbulence kills one and injures 30". The Aviation Herald. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  21. ^ Sinclair, Harriet (21 May 2024). "Singapore Airlines latest: Passenger killed and 30 injured in turbulence on London flight". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  22. ^ "One dead and others injured after turbulence hits London to Singapore flight". Financial Times. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  23. ^ "Singapore Airlines relief flight arrives at Changi Airport after passengers, crew shaken by severe turbulence". CNA. 22 May 2024. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  24. ^ Gene, Ng Keng; Shan, Chin Hui (22 May 2024). "SIA relief flight with passengers and crew members of SQ321 arrives in Singapore". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  25. ^ "Aircraft hit by severe turbulence returns to Singapore, local media reports". Rappler. 26 May 2024. Retrieved 26 May 2024.
  26. ^ Nian Tjoe, Lee (24 May 2024). "SQ321 incident: S'porean previously in ICU among passengers discharged from Thai hospital". The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  27. ^ a b Christine, Tan (22 May 2024). "Singapore's transport investigators in Bangkok to probe SQ321 incident". The Straits Times. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
  28. ^ "Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 Incident". Ministry of Transport of Singapore. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  29. ^ "Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance Chee Hong Tat s Media Soundbite on Transport Safety Investigation Bureau s Investigation in Singapore Airlines SQ321 Incident". Ministry of Transport of Singapore. 24 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  30. ^ "No meal service when seat belt sign on: Singapore Airlines adjusts turbulence measures in wake of SQ321". CNA. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  31. ^ "Singapore President Says 'Hope And Pray' Injured Flight Passengers Recover". Barron's. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
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