6,000 feet drop in 3 mins: Singapore Airlines flight's mid-air chaos. WATCH

A British passenger suffered a fatal cardiac arrest, and many were injured when a Singapore Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence mid-air. The plane made an emergency landing in Bangkok

A Singapore Airlines flight encountered severe turbulence over the Indian Ocean on Tuesday, leading to the death of one passenger and injuries to at least 30 others, the airline said. The Boeing 777-300ER, headed to Singapore, descended about 6,000 feet in just about three minutes, following which it made an emergency landing at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.

The deceased passenger, a 73-year-old British man, appeared to have suffered a fatal heart attack, said the general manager of the Bangkok airport, Kittipong Kittikachorn.

Among the 211 passengers and 18 crew members aboard, three were identified as Indian nationals. The highest number of passengers belonged to Australia at 56, followed by the United Kingdom at 47.

Video of turbulence hit flight surface

Videos of the incident, which have since gone viral, show passengers in a state of panic during the severe turbulence. The footage captures the chaotic scene, with passengers shouting and crying out in near darkness as the aircraft was jolted by the turbulence.

Business Standard could not independently verfiy the video.

Singapore Airlines issued an official statement expressing its condolences to the family of the deceased and confirmed that medical assistance was being provided to the injured passengers. The airline said it is working closely with Thai authorities and has dispatched a team to Bangkok to offer additional support.

Flight dropped 6,000 feet in 3 mins

According to an analysis by The Associated Press, the flight was cruising at 37,000 feet before suddenly plummeting to 31,000 feet over about three minutes. The aircraft remained at this lower altitude for under 10 minutes before diverting to Bangkok.
 

The sharp descent in turbulence happened as the flight was over the Andaman Sea, near Myanmar. During the descent, the aircraft transmitted a squawk code of 7700, indicating an international emergency, the report said. This was nearly 10 hours after the flight departed from London, the carrier said.

“We are in contact with Singapore Airlines regarding flight SQ321 and stand ready to support them. We extend our deepest condolences to the family who lost a loved one, and our thoughts are with the passengers and crew,” Boeing said in a statement on Tuesday.

Singapore Airlines on Wednesday said it is fully cooperating with relevant authorities in the investigation into the incident.

(With inputs from agencies)