A 73-year-old British passenger died and 54 injured, including seven in serious condition. This is the final balance of the accident which yesterday involved a B-777/300ER aircraft (registration 9V-SWM) operated by Singapore Airlines. The captain was forced to make an emergency landing after experiencing violent turbulence at high altitude, which threw travellers from their seats.

The company offers its "deepest apologies to all those affected" by the "sudden violent turbulence". "We are deeply saddened by this accident and express our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones" of the deceased passenger, said the carrier's CEO Goh Choon Phong in recent hours, apologizing for the incident.

There were 229 passengers and crew members on the airliner (flight SQ321). The aircraft was flying at an altitude of 37,000 feet on the London-Singapore route. While flying over Myanmar, he encountered extreme turbulence. Then the emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand.

Meanwhile, Singapore's Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, has promised that there will be a "thorough investigation" into the accident by the national Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB). In a statement, Singapore Airlines said that: "We have collaborated with the local Thai authorities to provide the necessary medical assistance and have sent a team to Bangkok to provide any additional assistance necessary".

On the same topic, see also the article published by AVIONEWS.

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