'Sheer terror': Passengers describe turbulence-hit flight that put 20 in intensive care

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By NAPAT KONGSAWAD
Updated 12:20 PM CDT, May 22, 2024

BANGKOK (AP) — Passengers on the Singapore Airlines flight that descended sharply after hitting severe turbulence described the “sheer terror” of the aircraft shuddering, loose items flying and people wrenched so badly that 20 remained Wednesday in intensive care.

“I arrived back in the airport and I couldn’t stop vomiting. I couldn’t walk, it was pretty bad,” said Josh Silverstone, 24, who was discharged from a hospital with a cut in his eye and a chipped tooth. He said it could have been “way worse.”

The British man said he was so scared that he bought in-flight internet access to message his mother: “I wasn’t trying to scare her, but I said ‘I love you.’”

It was still not clear what exactly caused the turbulence that sent the Boeing 777 carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members on a 6,000-foot (around 1,800-meter) descent in about three minutes on Tuesday. The flight from London to Singapore was diverted to Thailand. A British man died, possibly of a heart attack.


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/singapore-airlines-turbulence-bangkok-hospitalized-c3750c6b6f611acd771766b999d7468d

[msongs]

1. good thing they all had seat belts on as the captain usually advises before takeoff nt

[magicarpet]

4. Seatbelts on,...

... are you sure ? Can't help but wonder that those who got banged up the worst were not fastened in with their seatbelts.

Some are attributing this increase in air turbulence for the airline industry to global warming. The jet streams are becoming more active at higher elevations. We might see much more of this.

Airline passengers might be advised to keep those seat belts fastened so you don't get tossed around and bounce off the ceiling of the passenger's compartment.

Safe travels everyone.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. No, apparently not everyone had seatbelts on, that's why passengers hit the ceiling.

That's what I said, the seatbelts on sign should have been flashing - and announced - as it always is when experiencing turbulence on a flight.

[magicarpet]

10. Sometimes air tubulence happens entirely unexpectedly, it is called "Clear Air Turbulence"..

■○■○■○■○
Air turbulence seems to becoming more prevelent due to global warming and weather pattern changes.
■○■○■○■○

The BBC on the subject of air turbulence,...

Turbulence can happen unexpectedly at any time, no matter the weather, Mark Weiss, a former American Airlines pilot of 23 years, told the BBC.

"It's just a natural phenomena of weather," he said. "You can't always predict it. It could be as clear as could be, and you could get caught in a jet stream."

Airlines are diligent about turning on the "fasten seatbelt" sign if turbulence is predicted, but sometimes it comes out of nowhere, and a seatbelt can only do so much, he said.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35201135

■○■○■○■○■○

Clear Air Turbulence - CNN

Turbulence on flights can be caused by storms, mountains, and strong air currents called jet streams,” adds Williams.

“In this last case, it is called clear-air turbulence, and it can be difficult to avoid because it doesn’t show up on the weather radar in the flight deck.”

“Clear air turbulence is air movement created by atmospheric pressure, jet streams, air around mountains, cold or warm weather fronts or thunderstorms,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration website.

https://www.cnn.com/travel/how-air-turbulence-creates-danger-in-the-skies/index.html

[magicarpet]

11. My comment #4 was in response to comment #1.

I was confused if this commenter thought everyone had their seatbelts on. I read it three times, but I was still a bit confused.

Overhead luggage bins that pop open and beverage/food carts rolling up and down the aisles are potential missiles during air turbulence too.

[Aussie105]

2. Any substantiated theories on what happened?

Three minutes, 6,000 ft drop?

Pilot error, mechanical plane error, or something else, like high altitude turbulence we didn't know about before?

That plane is so messed up, it might never fly again.
Lucky it didn't disintegrate under the stresses.

[Traurigkeit]

5. Mother Nature ...

[OAITW r.2.0]

7. Severe windshear?The backside of the front increased the planes altitude....then there was negative

6000 ft drop due to negative/downward pressure of the wings.

[DENVERPOPS]

3. Usually caused by "clear air turbulence"

Any one, who doesn't leave their seat belt fastened at all times, even loosened, is at risk. When will people listen??????????

[OAITW r.2.0]

6. Seatbelts....they serve a purpose.

I think a lot of folks serving their passengers got slammed, hard.

[Warpy]

8. Downdrafts happen

My dad described one back in the 70s when the ciigarettes floated out of the pack in his pocket, said they had a few seconds of weightlessness.

Cigarettes finally got him. Flying never did.

[kimbutgar]

12. I traveled enough to know always keep your seatbelt on!

Turbulence can happen without warning. I’ve known a few flight attendants who have told me to keep that seat belt on at all times. But I especially wouldn’t want to be in an airplane bathroom when turbulence hits!