A year after Singapore Airlines flight 321 was struck by severe turbulence, many passengers are still struggling with the trauma, as medical evaluations and efforts to secure compensation from the airline continue.
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The Boeing 777, en route from London to Singapore, encountered violent turbulence on May 21, forcing an emergency diversion to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. A British man died and several other passengers among the 211 on board were injured in the incident.
Inside the battered cabin, scenes of chaos unfolded. Food and luggage were scattered across the aisles, oxygen masks dangled from the ceiling and electrical panels were dislodged. Passengers sat in shock as medical teams in Bangkok treated injuries, most of which involved the head or spine. More than a dozen people required surgery.
Among the injured was New Zealander Philip Whitehead, who had just returned to his seat from the toilet when the turbulence struck.
“There was no time to get the seat belt on, and I woke up on the floor in a pool of blood,” Whitehead recalled. He suffered a broken neck and back and later had to undergo spinal surgery.
“The bone is still really fragile so I have to keep my movements really conservative so I don’t damage myself,” he said.