22 Spinal Cord Injuries And Six Brain And Skull Injuries; Passengers From Singapore Airlines Remain In ICU (image-pixabay/ Mr_Worker)

Out of the 40 people from the Singapore Airlines who are under treatment after encountering with severe turbulence, 20 remain in the intensive care unit in Thai hospital. As per media report, 22 passengers suffer from spinal cord injurie, and six passengers suffer from brain and skull injuries.

Director of Bangkok’s Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital, Adinun Kittiratanapaibool, told reporters that the patients in the intensive care unit need close attention. He informed that the oldest among the patients is 83-years-old and the youngest is a two-year-old child who suffered a concussion. Among the 41, ten are British citizens, nine Australian, seven Malaysian, and four Philippines were included.

Nearly 60 people were injured during the incident which took place on May 21st. One passenger named Briton Geoffrey Kitchen, 73, died, reportedly due to heart attack.

The Singapore Airlines flight was cruising at an altitude of 37,000 feet when, around 0800 GMT, the aircraft suddenly pitched down to 31,000 within a span of three minutes. . The Boeing 777-300ER was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members. The plane maintained its altitude for less than ten minutes before forcing an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok within half an hour.

The turbulence occurred while the cabin crew was serving breakfast, according to Suvarnabhumi Airport’s General Manager, Kittipong Kittikachorn. The sudden drop injured many passengers who were not wearing seatbelts.

Singapore’s Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat had expressed his condolences and assured that the government would assist the affected passengers and their families. Experts highlighted that while severe turbulence injuries are rare, the incident underscores the importance of keeping seatbelts fastened during flights.