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Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 turbulence incident

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2026-08-29 10:56 UTC → 2026-08-31 04:54 UTC · added ~~removed~~

On 21 May 2024, Singapore Airlines flight SQ321, traveling from the United Kingdom to Singapore, encountered severe turbulence while flying over the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar. The aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, reportedly plummeted approximately 54 meters in less than five seconds, prompting an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand. While initial reports indicated no injuries, subsequent legal developments revealed that 73-year-old passenger Geoff Kitchen died on board from a heart attack during the event. Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong has apologized for the incident, and the airline stated it has adopted a more cautious approach to turbulence management. In ongoing legal proceedings in the High Court, Linda Kitchen, the widow of Geoff Kitchen, is seeking damages for personal injuries, including spinal fractures. New details from the litigation describe the descent as a drop of approximately 6,000 feet (1,828 meters) in a matter of seconds. Mrs. Kitchen, now 74, reported that the sudden drop caused her husband to fall onto her, pinning her against the armrest and resulting in her spinal injuries. The legal action includes a claim on behalf of her late husband’s estate. She is seeking damages to fund specialist medical support for her back injuries.

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