Five Filipino passengers were aboard a Singapore Airlines flight from London that encountered severe turbulence, as reported by GTV’s State of the Nation on Tuesday night. The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed their presence but has yet to determine their conditions, as per GMA News Online.
“The DMW’s Migrant Workers Office in Singapore (MWO-SG) is working closely with the Philippine Embassy in Bangkok, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport authorities, and airline officials to determine the five Filipino passengers’ status and condition,” the agency stated.
Expressing concern, the DMW assured continued monitoring of their situation and pledged updates to its head office “as soon as possible.”
One passenger died, and 30 others sustained injuries, with seven in critical condition due to head injuries. Singapore Airlines extended condolences to the deceased’s family and apologized for the ordeal.
Regarding the five Filipinos, GMA News Online reached out to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for further information. DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega stated he is currently verifying the reports.
The London-to-Singapore flight, with over 200 passengers and 18 crew members, experienced heavy turbulence over the Indian Ocean, descending 6,000 feet in about three minutes before making an emergency landing in Bangkok, Thailand.
Though the airline did not specify the type of turbulence, experts suspect clear-air turbulence (CAT), considered the most dangerous. Safety experts emphasized the importance of wearing seatbelts during flights, especially since CAT is virtually undetectable.
