Thought we would die: Passengers onboard extreme turbulence-hit Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 recount horrifying experience

The interior of Singapore Airline flight SG321 is pictured after an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport, Thailand (Photo: Reuters)

A Singapore Airlines flight hit severe turbulence over the Indian Ocean on May 21, leaving a British man dead and several passengers injured. According to aviation data firm Cirium, flight SQ321 of the Singapore Airlines was hit by severe turbulence, which resulted in one of the worst such accidents ever.

In fact, the death of the 73-year-old British flyer, was the first turbulence-related fatality being reported on a commercial flight, in close to 30 years.

As many 104 flyers onboard the turbulence-hit Singapore Airlines flight required medical attention, while 20 are still in intensive-care units.

One of the passengers, a 27-year-old engineer from Australia, Ali Bukhari, who has returning from his honeymoon with his wife Ramiza, recounts how he saw an elderly man get thrown in the air once the plane started plummeting. He saw the man fly across the aisle before slamming into the seats in the middle.

While the couple was unharmed because they were wearing their seat belts, they saw many others sustaining injuries before their eyes. Bukhari recounted seeing blood streaking down faces and someone trying to give a CPR to a man who lay unconscious on the floor. The situation at hand made him fear something is wrong with the plane as he found it difficult to believe turbulence could look this bad.

“My wife and I thought we were going to die,” the Wall Street Journal quoted him as saying. He added, “We didn’t think we were going to make it.”

Notably, according to the WSJ article, six of the victims who were taken to Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, had brain and skull injuries, while 22 others had injured the spine or spinal cord. Some even showed signs of paralysis, although doctors said they couldn’t be certain yet whether the damage is permanent.

Another flyer on the Singapore Airlines flight named Keith Davis was adjusting his seat when he noticed something was off – his wife’s glass (of water) was vibrating. Before he could figure out what was going on, both of them were hurtled towards the ceiling. While his wife hit the overhead luggage bin and fell on the aisle, he hit a ceiling panel and fell back on his seat.

The 59-year-old, also from Australia, told WSJ, “I was in absolute shock.” When he leaned in to check if his wife was okay, David realised he was dripping blood. However, throughout the chaotic moment that ensued, he made sure that his wife was pinned in place until they were safe.

Notably, the turbulence lasted about a whole minute; after it was over, the cabin looked like it was hit by a hurricane.

Around 2:50 pm Bangkok time, the plane went up around 400 feet before plummeting another 400 feet -- all in a span of a minute, data shared by flight-tracking service Flightradar24 revealed. As per the airline, the flight witnessed sudden and extreme turbulence while passing over the Irrawaddy River Basin. The Singapore Airline flight finally steadied around 3:05 pm.

Notably, the airline has not shared any details as to what caused the turbulence or what the pilots encountered. The incident is currently being probed by the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau of Singapore.