Brit, 73, dies and 23 are injured, seven critically, when extreme turbulence hits Singapore Airlines

[240B]

Brit, 73, dies and 23 are injured, seven critically, when extreme turbulence hits Singapore Airlines flight from UK that fell into an air pocket, 'launching people straight through the ceiling' - as images show destruction on board

DAILYMAIL.COM
By CHRIS JEWERS
21 May 2024

The passenger who died onboard a Singapore Airlines jet travelling from the UK today was a 73-year-old British man, Thai officials have confirmed.

After around 11 hours of flying time from take off in London, the aircraft hit an air pocket and sharply dropped 6,000 feet in five minutes, unleashing mayhem and forcing it to make an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi airport.

Terrified passengers have described how they had little warning to put their seatbelts on before the aircraft suddenly dropped while the crew were serving breakfast, with one passenger saying people were 'launched into the ceiling' as the plane fell through the sky.

(more)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13442643/Everyone-not-wearing-seatbelt-launched-ceiling-broke-straight-Passenger-board-Singapore-Airlines-jet-UK-describes-turbulence-killed-fellow-flyer-images-destruction-board.html

[mountaineer]

Is 6,000 feet in 5 minutes a "sharp" drop in altitude? Turbulence happens.
We flew Singapore Air in 2012 - best experience ever.

[DB]

Is 6,000 feet in 5 minutes a "sharp" drop in altitude? Turbulence happens.
We flew Singapore Air in 2012 - best experience ever.

A little less than 14 miles an hour drop...

[PeteS in CA]

The rate of drop may not have been constant, more likely sudden and sharp and then less so as the pilots compensated.

I'm a little surprised that the fact that the plane was a Boeing 777 (IIRC) was deep in the article. Isn't every mishap Boeing's fault nowadays?

[DB]

The rate of drop may not have been constant, more likely sudden and sharp and then less so as the pilots compensated.

I'm a little surprised that the fact that the plane was a Boeing 777 (IIRC) was deep in the article. Isn't every mishap Boeing's fault nowadays?

The first report I read on this is that the plane tilted upward before abruptly going down. That doesn't seem to make sense as being entirely turbulence.