Four Irish people were on board turbulence-hit London to Singapore flight

Four Irish people were on board the flight that hit severe turbulence between London and Singapore yesterday.

A man who died on board has been named as 73-year-old Geoff Kitchen from Bristol. His wife was among 71 passengers who were injured.

The plane was forced to divert to Bangkok after hitting an air pocket and dropping 6,000 feet in minutes. The passengers finally reached Singapore on a relief flight early this morning.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that four Irish citizens were on the flight, but it is not yet known whether they were among the many injured people.

A department spokeswoman said: "We are aware that four Irish citizens were on board. The embassy is in close contact with the relevant Thai authorities and stands ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance."

Singapore Airlines flight #SQ321, operating from London (Heathrow) to Singapore on 20 May 2024, encountered severe turbulence en-route. The aircraft diverted to Bangkok and landed at 1545hrs local time on 21 May 2024.

We can confirm that there are injuries and one fatality on…

— Singapore Airlines (@SingaporeAir) May 21, 2024

Photographs from the interior of the plane showed gashes in the overhead cabin panels, oxygen masks and panels hanging from the ceiling and luggage strewn around.

One passenger spoke of some people's heads had slammed into the lights above the seats and broken the panels.

Aircraft tracking provider FlightRadar 24 said the flight encountered a rapid change in vertical rate, consistent with a sudden turbulence event, based on flight tracking data.

Singapore Airlines offered its condolences to the family of Mr Kitchen and said it has provided medical assistance to passengers who need it.