• Goh Choon Pong, CEO of Singapore Airlines, thanked staff for their hard work following a turbulence incident.
• The incident resulted in the death of a British man and injuries to dozens more.
• The Boeing B777-ER returned to Singapore on Sunday.

Goh Choon Pong, the CEO of Singapore Airlines, thanked the carrier’s staff for their hard work after a severe turbulence incident resulted in the death of a British man and injuries to dozens more. In a memo seen by the BBC, Mr. Goh wrote, “The last five days have been immensely challenging for everyone at Singapore Airlines.”

The message follows the diversion of flight SQ321 from London to Singapore to Bangkok, Thailand, after an incident over the Indian Ocean on 21 May. On Sunday, the Boeing B777-ER returned to Singapore.

“Our agility, dedication, and team spirit were evident during this period,” Mr Goh’s memo said.

“On behalf of the [Singapore Airlines] Board and the entire management team, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart,” he added.

Last Tuesday, Flight SQ321 diverted to Bangkok due to a medical emergency, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members. Geoff Kitchen, a 73-year-old from Gloucestershire, died from a suspected heart attack after the plane encountered turbulence. More than 100 other people received treatment at a hospital in the Thai capital.

The airline flew passengers and crew who were not seriously injured to Singapore early the next day. The memo also mentioned that the airline continues supporting injured passengers and staff, and Mr. Goh visited the hospital last week. In a video address the day after the incident, Mr. Goh offered his deepest condolences to Mr. Kitchen’s family and apologized to everyone affected.

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also sent his condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased, adding that his country was “working closely with Thai authorities.” He stated that Singapore’s Transport Safety Investigation Bureau would thoroughly investigate the incident. Accidents involving Singapore Airlines are rare, as the carrier consistently ranks among the world’s safest airlines.

The last fatal accident occurred in 2000 when a Boeing 747 crashed while attempting to take off from the wrong runway at a Taiwan airport. The crash killed 83 of the 179 people on board.

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