The 73-year-old Briton who died of a suspected heart attack following “sudden extreme turbulence” on a London-Singapore flight has been identified as Geoff Kitchen.
Dozens of other people were injured in the incident, with passengers describing people being “hurled into the ceiling” and into overhead lockers.
Singapore Heathrow airline flight SQ321 was forced to make an emergency landing at Bangkok airport in Thailand.
Kitchen, from Thornbury, near Bristol, was on a six-week holiday with his wife in Singapore, Indonesia and Australia.
In a Facebook post, Thornbury Musical Theater Group paid tribute to Mr Kitchen: “It is with heavy hearts that we learned of the devastating news of the passing of our esteemed colleague and friend Geoff Kitchen in the recent Singapore Air Incident.
“Geoff has always been a gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity and has always done what was right for the group.
“His commitment to TMTG was unquestionable and he served the group and the local Thornbury community for over 35 years, holding a number of roles within the group including chairman, treasurer and, most recently, secretary.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and family at this difficult time, and we ask that you respect their privacy.”
Extreme turbulence comes “out of nowhere”
Kittipong Kittikachorn, head of Bangkok airport, said earlier that the 73-year-old died of a probable cardiac arrest.
Forty-seven Britons were among the 211 passengers and 18 crew on board the plane, a Boeing 777-300ER.
A spokesman for Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital said: “Seventy-one people needed treatment and six of them had serious injuries.”
However, Singapore Airlines appeared to contradict these figures and said only 30 people were taken to hospital.
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Speaking to Sky News, Passengers said seat belts saved some injurieswhile others described flight attendants as having cuts on their heads.
Australian Teandra Tukhunen, who had her left arm in a sling at Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in Bangkok, said she was sleeping and “woke up because I was thrown onto the roof and then onto the ground”.
Ms. Tukhunen, 30, said that when the seat belt sign appeared “almost immediately, right after that, I was thrown onto the roof, before I had time to put my seat belt on, unfortunately.”
“It was so quick, it was over in a few seconds and then you’re shocked. Everyone is scared.”
Passenger Dzafran Azmir also said: “Some people hit the luggage compartments with their heads and dented them, hit the places where the lights and masks are and broke them.”
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Singapore Airlines also said the pilot declared a medical emergency and landed in Bangkok after “sudden extreme turbulence over the Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 feet about 10 hours after departure.”
In a statement, the UK Foreign Office said: “We support the family of a British man who died in Bangkok and are liaising with local authorities.”
This story originally appeared on News.sky.com read the full story
