Passengers tell of horror flight in which British man, 73, dies

1. One person has died, with several injured, after severe turbulence on a London to Singapore flight
2. Authorities at Bangkok airport say the victim was a 73-year-old British man who "likely" died from a heart attack
3. Seven people are seriously injured - the wife of the British man who died has gone to hospital
4. The Singapore Airlines flight diverted to Bangkok and landed at 15:45 local time (08:45 GMT)
5. One passenger says anyone not wearing a seatbelt was "launched into the ceiling"
6. Another says there were "so many injured people", including some with head wounds
7. Singapore Airlines says the flight experienced "sudden extreme turbulence" over Myanmar

In pictures: A look at the damage inside the flight

Let's take a look back at some pictures we had earlier from inside Singapore Airlines flight SQ321, which show the extent of the impact caused by the turbulence on board the flight.

Emergency oxygen masks are seen hanging from the ceiling, as monitors and parts of the plane's interior were torn off.

Reuters

Reuters

Reuters

Singapore ministry working with authorities to help passengers

Singapore's foreign affairs ministry issued a statement earlier in which it said it was working with Singapore Airlines and the relevant authorities to help passengers who were on today's flight.

"The Singapore Embassy in Bangkok is onsite at Suvarnabhumi airport and the hospital to render the necessary consular assistance to affected Singaporeans and their next-of-kin," it said.

The ministry extends its condolences to the family of the passenger who died and wishes the injured passengers a quick and full recovery.

Flight carrying SQ321 passengers takes off

We're hearing more now about the passengers who had been stranded in Thailand after flight SQ321 made an emergency landing.

A plane carrying those who were on board but did not sustain serious injuries has now left Bangkok, airport officials there have confirmed.

They are being flown to Singapore where relatives and airline staff are waiting to receive them in a dedicated area at the airport.

The flight is expected to land in a little over two hours.

Airline staff briefed at Singapore airport

Tessa Wong

Reporting from Singapore Changi Airport

BBC

Here at Changi Airport in Singapore, a large group of Singapore Airlines staff have gathered in the arrivals area, where they're being briefed.

We're all waiting for the plane carrying people who were on board the SQ321 flight. This plane is travelling from Bangkok with some passengers who are unhurt and want to continue to Singapore.

They've also set up metal barriers across half the length of the terminal - it appears they have laid out a secure route for the passengers to head to the area upstairs where their relatives are waiting.

BBC

BBC

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Size of aircraft makes this significant - aviation expert

Tim Atkinson, an aviation consultant and a former aircraft accident investigator, says effects of turbulence typically depend on the size of the aircraft, and the plane involved in today's incident was very large.

“Small aircraft are more susceptible to severe turbulence and encounters resulting in injuries or indeed death,” he says, adding that what the Boeing 777-300ER had encountered was “very significant”.

He tells the BBC that turbulence is becoming more common and severe because of climate change.

When asked what passengers should do when they encounter turbulence, he says such events are rare and there are many layers of defence against them.

“If you're in your seat, keep you seatbelt fastened,” he advises.

What is turbulence and what causes it?

Frequent flyers will be familiar with the sudden jolting that can happen when an aircraft gets into turbulence. It can move the plane and cause sudden changes in height.

Most turbulence occurs in cloud where you’ve got up and downdrafts of wind, says BBC Weather's Simon King, a former RAF officer.

Much of that will be fairly mild - but when you get big clouds, such as the cumulonimbus thunderstorm cloud, you can get moderate or even severe turbulence.

There’s another type of turbulence called “clear air" turbulence - and that’s where you can’t see it, as it’s cloudless. This is much more problematic as it's very difficult to detect.

This type of turbulence happens around the jet stream, which is a really fast flowing river of air that's typically found at 40,000-60,000ft (12,192-18,288 metres) up, aviation expert and qualified commercial pilot Guy Gratton says.

• Read more here.

Singapore's PM 'saddened and shocked' over incident

Getty Images

Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong says he is "saddened and shocked" by the flight incident and expresses his condolences to the family members and loved ones of the deceased.

"We are working closely with Thai authorities and doing everything we can to support the passengers and crew. We pray for their safe return and smooth recovery for those who are injured," the prime minister says in a Facebook post.

As we reported earlier, a 73-year-old British man died after the Singapore Airlines flight experienced severe turbulence. Dozens others on the flight were injured.

US to deploy a team of aviation safety officials to Bangkok

A few hours ago we mentioned that Singapore's government is deploying a team of investigators to Thailand - now we are hearing the US will also be sending a team of officials.

The US National Transportation Safety Board says it will be sending an accredited representative and four technical advisors to support the team from Singapore, Reuters news agency reports.

Flight carrying uninjured passengers expected in Singapore

Tessa Wong

Reporting from Singapore Changi Airport

BBC

The media has been roaming freely in the arrivals area and mingling with passengers, but in the last few minutes airport officials have set up rows of metal barriers.

We've been told that this is in preparation for "passengers who need to pass through" to the main doors.

One official also told me, firmly, that the media "cannot disturb these passengers".

It's a clear indication that the flight carrying the SQ321 passengers will be landing soon, though officials won't confirm this.

What are the latest developments?

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If you're just joining our coverage of the Singapore Airlines incident, let us bring you up to date with everything we know so far:

• A 73-year-old British man died from a suspected heart attack, after his Singapore Airlines flight experienced severe turbulence
• The London to Singapore flight experienced a sudden drop as a meal service was under way and was forced to divert to Bangkok
• More than 30 people have been injured, while seven are in a critical condition. Singapore Airlines says 211 passengers and 18 crew were on board
• Passengers from several countries were on the flight, including those from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia

• Andrew Davies, who was on the plane, praised the cabin crew for being "stoic" as he described the "surreal" experience, with belongings being thrown around the cabin
• At Singapore's Changi Airport, the flight's intended destination, officials have set up a waiting area for relatives of passengers who are well enough to fly from Bangkok

British family to miss wedding in Australia

More now from British passenger Jerry, who has been telling the BBC about his experience as severe turbulence hit his London to Singapore flight today.

“My daughter will be in [hospital] for a few days. My wife I’m not so sure. But it could have been a lot worse,” he says.

The family had been travelling to Australia for his son's wedding on Friday, but now they won't be able to make it, Jerry explains.

"If we continued with the itinerary that would mean five more flights," he says.

"We're not going to do that, we're going to go back.

"It's just unfortunate, [after] the bad experience my wife and my daughter had, and my own experience, we can't stomach another five flights."

You can watch Jerry speaking from Bangkok here:

Passenger describes moment turbulence hit Singapore flight

'Worst day of my life': Passenger recounts sudden mid-air plunge

British passenger Jerry, 68, who was on the flight with seven family members has been describing how the plane plunged mid-air. The 68-year-old from Reading was heading to his son’s wedding in Australia.

Speaking from a hospital in Bangkok, he described the experience as the worst day of his life.

“Things were going very smoothly at first. I had just been to the loo. Came back, sat down, a bit of turbulence and suddenly the plane plunged,” he tells the BBC. “It was so sudden, no warning at all.”

BBC

Jerry says both him and his wife ended up hitting their heads on the plane's ceiling and there was chaos in the cabin, adding that a lot of people were injured, including staff.

Once he arrived in Bangkok, a swarm of medical teams greeted the aircraft and took the patients with the worst injuries off first, he says.

Jerry went to the hospital as his grandson needed to have an assessment. Once at the hospital, he also found his daughter and her husband. He struggled to find his wife at first, but the pair were eventually reunited.

Singapore Airlines team arrives in Bangkok

Singapore Airlines says its team has arrived in Bangkok to help its colleagues and authorities on the ground in Thailand.

"We are providing all possible assistance to the passengers and crew on board SQ321, both at the hospital and the airport," it says in a statement.

Seatbelts are 'difference between life and death'

We're now hearing from aviation journalist Sally Gethin, who tells BBC Radio 5 Live it is extremely rare for someone to die due to turbulence impacting flights.

She says the Singapore Airlines incident is an example of "clear air" turbulence, where an aircraft flies into a pocket of air which isn't detected on a radar.

"Anything that isn't bolted down in a severe case of turbulence is at risk of damage or worse", she says, adding: "Wearing your seatbelt can make a difference between life and death."

Watch: Passenger injured by turbulence carried out of plane

As we've been reporting, severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore led to the death of one passenger, while dozens others were injured.

We now have some footage from inside the aircraft, showing the moments after the plane made its emergency landing at Bangkok Airport in Thailand.

The video shows emergency services carrying a passenger from the plane on a stretcher, and the damage caused inside the cabin.

Singapore Airlines: Passenger injured by turbulence carried off flight SQ321

Forecast indicated thunderstorms in flight's journey

Simon King

BBC Weather presenter and meteorologist

Weather conditions looked very stormy in southern parts of Myanmar with frequent lightning strikes recorded in the area where the aircraft appeared to have lost altitude.

The forecast for that area today indeed suggested there would be isolated to occasional embedded cumulonimbus cloud - more commonly known as thunderstorm clouds - present up to an altitude of 50,000 ft (15,240 metres).

The winds inside a cumulonimbus cloud are the most turbulent with severe up and down drafts.

We don’t know yet whether the pilot of the Singapore Airlines plane was flying within this cloud with some turbulence before hitting a severe downdraft, which would have forced the plane to lose altitude very quickly.

Or, if the pilot tried to avoid the storms, you can also get "Clear Air Turbulence" (CAT), which can be forecast in some areas but unpredictably occur in cloudless skies around the large cumulonimbus cloud.

Tight security for passengers and relatives at Singapore airport

Tessa Wong

Reporting from Singapore Changi Airport

At Singapore's Changi Airport, officials have set up a waiting area for relatives of passengers in a quiet corner of the terminal.

It's shielded from the public with large barriers, and security guards have been posted outside.

The media - and curious members of the public - have been barred from entering.

Various officials - easily identifiable by their lanyards - have been walking in and out of the area and some are wearing vests that say "care", indicating that a care team is on standby to help the passengers recover from their traumatic experience.

BBC

Recap: British man dies in 'sudden extreme turbulence' on flight

EPA

Emergency vehicles transport injured passengers from Suvarnabhumi Airport, to a hospital in Samut Prakan province, Thailand

If you're just joining us, here's what we know so far:

• A British man, 73, has died on a flight from London to Singapore that hit "sudden extreme turbulence" over Myanmar
• Authorities in Bangkok - where the plane diverted - say he "likely" suffered a heart attack
• The man was travelling with his wife; she has been admitted to hospital
• In total, 30 people were taken to hospital, seven with critical injuries

• There were 211 passengers and 18 crew on board - the passengers were mainly from Australia, the UK, Singapore, New Zealand, and Malaysia
• One passenger says anyone not wearing a seatbelt was "launched into the ceiling"
• Another describes screaming and "head lacerations"

Singapore Airlines details nationalities of those on board

In its statement, Singapore Airlines also provided details on the nationalities of those on the flight.

As a reminder, there were a total of 211 passengers and 18 crew on board.

The nationalities of the passengers are:

• 56 from Australia
• 47 from the United Kingdom
• 41 from Singapore
• 23 from New Zealand
• 16 from Malaysia
• Five from the Philippines
• Four from Ireland
• Four from the US
• Three from India
• Two from Indonesia
• Two from Myanmar
• Two from Spain
• Two from Canada
• One from Germany
• One from Israel
• One from Iceland
• One from South Korea