Singapore Airlines turbulence: More than 20 passengers suffer spinal injuries, hospital says

CNN
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More than 20 of the dozens injured Tuesday in turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight from London suffered spinal injuries, a Bangkok hospital that treated some of them said. Travelers.

Adinun Kittirathanabaipool, director of Samithivej Srinagar’s hospital in the Thai capital, told reporters Thursday that 22 patients were being treated for spine and spinal cord injuries, six with skull and brain injuries, and 13 for bone, muscle or soft tissue complaints.

17 patients underwent surgery, which included procedures such as suturing for spinal surgery.

Flight SQ321 from London to Singapore was flying at an altitude of 37,000 feet on Tuesday. According to flight tracking data, the plane descended sharply before climbing several hundred feet. It dips for a minute and repeats as it rises.

Several passengers were having their breakfast when the incident happened. Video and pictures from inside the plane after it made an emergency landing in Bangkok Showing the extent of the damage, overhead bins were broken and emergency oxygen air masks hung above the seats.

A photo of a mockup showed parts of the aircraft’s interior hanging down with part of the roof open. Plates, containers, plastic bottles and hot drink pots can be seen scattered on the floor.

After the incident, the plane – carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members – was diverted to Bangkok, where ambulances and emergency response teams were waiting.

The hospital said earlier that those injured on the flight included citizens from Australia, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Spain, the United States and Ireland.

Of the 71 passengers injured on the flight, 55 are in hospital, including 40 at Samitivej Srinagar’s facility.

A 73-year-old British man who had already suffered from heart disease died on board, although hospital officials have not confirmed the cause of his death.

The man, later identified as Jeff Kitchen, was described by the Thornbury Musical Theater group, where he worked for more than 35 years, as „a gentleman of great integrity and honesty at all times”.

Of the passengers and crew on the original flight, 143 were flown to Singapore in a relief flight sent by Singapore Airlines on Wednesday morning.