Yahoo News First picture of man, 73, who died on board plane from UK which hit severe turbulence
A British man who tragically died following a suspected heart attack on board a plane has been named as Geoffrey Ralph Kitchen.
The Boeing 777 he was travelling in, a Singapore Airlines flight from London, encountered severe turbulence and was forced to divert to Bangkok and make an emergency landing on Tuesday (May 21).
The Mirror reports that it is believed that Mr Kitchen was thrown around when the plane hit treacherous conditions at an altitude of 37,000ft over the Indian Ocean.
The aircraft, which was en route to Singapore, was forced to make an emergency landing at Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.
Pictures from the scene show emergency services rushing to the jet, but sadly, Mr Kitchen, thought to be from Thornbury, Gloucestershire, was declared dead.
The jet had departed from London Heathrow the previous night, bound for Singapore Changi Airport, but it ran into severe turbulence upon entering airspace in the region, which is currently being battered by extreme tropical thunderstorms.
Photographs reveal frightened passengers and food and debris scattered across the floor of the aircraft following the disturbance. An air hostess is also seen with a bloody injury to her face amidst the turmoil.
A spokesperson for Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, where the flight was diverted to, confirmed the man's death while also stating that seven other people were seriously injured.
A passenger on board Flight SQ321 said the plane experienced a "dramatic drop" while passengers were "launched immediately into the ceiling" as they weren't wearing seatbelts.
The general manager of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport suggested that the 73 year old British man may have suffered a heart attack on board.
