The chief executive of Singapore Airlines has issued a public apology after extreme turbulence hit a flight from Heathrow Airport leading to the death of a 73-year-old British man.
Tributes have been paid to the passenger, named as Geoff Kitchen, who suffered a suspected heart attack on the flight after the “traumatic” turbulence, according to a spokesman for Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, where the plane was diverted to.
In a video statement on Wednesday morning, Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong apologised “to everyone affected” by the “sudden extreme turbulence” and sent his condolences to Mr Kitchen’s family.
“We are very sorry for the traumatic experience that everyone on board SQ321 went through,” he said.
“We are providing all possible assistance and support to them, along with their families and loved ones, during this difficult time. The well-being of our passengers and staff is our utmost priority."
Seven other people were seriously injured, with dozens more suffering minor injuries.
The airline said five passengers who were on board will be returning to Singapore on Tuesday, with another 74 passengers and six crew members still in Bangkok. This includes those receiving medical treatment.
In a Facebook post shared on Tuesday evening, Thornbury Musical Theatre Group in Bristol paid tribute to Mr Kitchen as a “gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity and always did what was right for the group.”
Mr Kitchen had been planning to go on a cruise in Indonesia and then travel to Australia with his wife, who was also on the plane.
A friend told the Today programme on Wednesday: “The last time I saw him was just after new year and they were both talking about this (trip) – they were both very adventurous travellers, they loved to travel and this was something they were particularly looking forward to.
“It had been planned for a very long time, it was very exciting.”
"His commitment to TMTG was unquestionable and he has served the group and the local community of Thornbury for over 35 years, holding various offices within the group, including Chairman, Treasurer and most recently Secretary,” a spokesperson said.
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and the family at this difficult time, and we ask that you respect their privacy."
One passenger on board the flight to Singapore said the plane suffered a “dramatic drop", meaning people not wearing a seatbelt were “launched immediately into the ceiling".
Another passenger, Jerry, who was travelling to his son's wedding, told the BBC the day was “the worst of my life".
He said: "Things were going very smoothly at first. I'd just been to the loo, came back, sat down, bit of turbulence, and suddenly the plane plunged.
"I don't know how far, but it was a long way. (It was) so sudden, there was no warning at all, and I ended up hitting my head on the ceiling, my wife did.
"Some poor people walking around ended up doing somersaults. It was absolutely terrible, and then suddenly it stopped and it was calm again, and the staff did their best to tend to the injured people.
"There were a lot of them and some of the staff are injured themselves, so they did a sterling job."
A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said it was supporting the family of the passenger and was in contact with local authorities.
Singapore Airlines said the flight encountered "sudden extreme turbulence" over Myanmar's Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000ft about 10 hours after departure, with the pilot declaring a medical emergency and diverting the plane to Bangkok.
Images posted on social media showed damage to the ceiling of the cabin, and food, cutlery and other debris strewn on the floor after the incident.
The 16-year-old Boeing 777 left Heathrow at 10.17pm on Monday and was diverted to Bangkok, landing at 3.45pm local time (9.45am BST) on Tuesday.
There were 211 passengers and 18 crew on board - including 47 passengers from the UK and four Irish nationals.
Flightradar24 said its tracking data showed the plane encountering turbulence at approximately 8.49am BST while flying over Myanmar.
The flight tracking service said data sent from the aircraft showed a "rapid change in vertical rate, consistent with a sudden turbulence event", adding that there were "some severe" thunderstorms in the area at the time.
Aviation consultant John Strickland told the PA news agency that "turbulence happens" but even with millions of flights each year, incidents are "limited" and "fatalities are rare".
He said: "Exposure is greater in different parts of the world.
"The South Atlantic, Africa and the Bay of Bengal are all places that spring to mind where there's a greater incidence.
"There are discussions about whether climate change is influencing an increase in occurrences."
Mr Strickland said airlines use a variety of methods to minimise the chances of a flight being affected by turbulence, such as weather forecasts, radar and reports from aircraft ahead.
A spokesperson for the UK Civil Aviation Authority said: "Our deepest condolences go out to all those who have been affected.
"Accidents of this nature are extremely rare and aviation remains one of the safest forms of travel."
