Singapore airlines hits severe turbulence, one passenger dead

New Delhi : One passenger has reportedly been dead due to heart attack and 30 others were injured after a Singapore airline flight struck with a severe turbulence on Tuesday. The flight was forced to land in Bangkok as the situation went out of control.

The flight was coming from London and was bound to go to Singapore when it is struck an air pocket and encountered severe turbulence, prompting the pilots to request an emergency landing in Bangkok’s airport. 

The sudden turbulence occurred over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar about 10 hours into the flight, the airline said. Soon after learning that the passengers were injured, the pilot declared a medical emergency and divert the aircraft to Bangkok.

However, it is yet not clear if the medical emergency came before the turbulence or after.

Passengers have shared their traumatic experience on social media via pictures and videos in which it can be seen that the overhead cabin panels, gas masks and panels were hanging from ceiling. Some of the passengers are believed to have struck the panels above them.

"Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. We deeply apologise for the traumatic experience that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight," the airline said.

Suvarnabhumi airport said the plane requested an emergency landing at 3:35 p.m. local time (0835 GMT) and landed at 3:51 p.m. where uninjured passengers disembarked to board another aircraft.

Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) will deploy investigators to Bangkok to look into the incident.