A former pilot suggested that the Singapore Airlines flight, involved in severe turbulence resulting in one passenger’s death, might have encountered the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ICZ). This region, as described by NASA Earth Observatory, encircles the Earth near the equator, where the trade winds from the Northern and Southern hemispheres converge. Due to the intense equatorial heat and warm water, this area experiences high humidity, causing buoyant air to rise and release moisture in thunderstorms.
Marco Chan, a former commercial pilot and aviation lecturer at Buckinghamshire New University, stated that in such scenarios, pilots’ choices might have been limited. “With turbulence of such magnitude, it is likely the Singapore Airlines flight was navigating through difficult thunderstorms,” Mr. Chan informed the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). He further elaborated to The Guardian, “Thunderstorms are prominently displayed on the pilots’ navigation display – but it may not be possible to completely circumvent the storm cluster as they can stretch well over 50 nautical miles.”
Turbulence, a phenomenon resulting from the meeting of air at different temperatures, pressures, or velocities, occurs when different wind patterns collide. Clear-air turbulence is particularly dangerous as it can surprise plane pilots and occur without warning.
Following the deadly turbulence, Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 777 jet made an emergency landing in Thailand. Geoffrey Kitchen, a 73-year-old British passenger, likely died from a heart attack on flight SQ321, as confirmed by Kittipong Kittikachorn, general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok. Nearly 60 passengers sustained injuries during the incident on May 21.
Singapore Airlines stated on Wednesday that it is fully cooperating with relevant authorities in the investigation, ensuring that all passengers received examination and treatment at the airport.