The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is sending representatives to assist Singapore’s investigation into the 21 May turbulence event that killed one passenger aboard a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777.
The NTSB, which has long called for measures to address risks posed by turbulence, says its assistance aligns with ICAO-set investigation guidelines, which call for involvement by representatives from the state where an aircraft was manufactured.
The US accident investigatory agency “is sending an accredited representative and four technical advisers to support the Singapore” investigation into the events involving Singapore Airlines Flight 321, the NTSB tweeted on 21 May.
The Singapore Transport Safety Investigation Bureau is leading the inquiry.
One passenger died when the 777-300ER encountered what Singapore Airlines called “sudden extreme turbulence”. The incident occurred over Myanmar at 37,000ft during a flight from London Heathrow to Singapore. The pilots declared a medical emergency and diverted to Bangkok, where they landed the jet at 14:45 local time on 21 May.
The carrier confirmed the single fatality. Another 18 people were hospitalised and a dozen more received treatment at medical centres. The jet was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members.
