One death and several injuries have been reported following severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight from London on Tuesday 21 May

One death and more than thirty injuries have been reported following ‘severe turbulence’ on a flight from London to Singapore, Singapore Airlines announced on Tuesday 21 May.

At around 10 o’clock this morning, the Boeing 777-300ER en route to Singapore was diverted to Bangkok. According to the BBC, more than 30 of the 211 passengers and 18 crew members were injured.

The airline confirmed that there were injuries and one death on board the Boeing 777-300ER. The plane was carrying a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew members. Thirty people were taken to hospital, twelve of whom required treatment. However, the airline did not specify the severity of the injuries or whether the deceased was a passenger or a crew member.

Flight tracking data shows that the plane plummeted more than 1,800 metres in just five minutes over the Andaman Sea, off the coast of Thailand. Suvarnabhumi Airport received a distress call from the Singapore Airlines flight at 3.35pm, saying there were passengers injured by the turbulence and requesting an emergency landing.

The airline has stated that its priority is to provide all possible assistance to the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. It is working with the local Thai authorities to provide the necessary medical assistance and is sending a team to Bangkok for any further assistance required.

This incident is the latest involving a Boeing aircraft, following the explosion of a fuselage panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 MAX in January, as well as two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.