Man died after ‘severe turbulence’ on Singapore Airlines flight – BBC News
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Wife of man who died after turbulence sues airline
Image source:
Linda Kitchen
Image caption:
Linda and Geoff Kitchen were beginning a six-week holiday to Singapore, Indonesia and Australia when the incident happened
Published 1 hour ago
A widow whose husband died after "severe turbulence" on a flight has launched legal action against the airline.
Lawyers for Linda Kitchen, 74, from Thornbury near Bristol, said her husband, Geoff, 73, was "fatally injured" when the Singapore Airlines flight from London Heathrow suddenly dropped around 6,000 ft (1,828 metres).
She has now begun proceedings at the High Court seeking damages to access specialist support for her back. The BBC has reached out to the airline for a comment.
"When I got separated from Geoff, I knew he was in a bad way, but nothing prepared me for hearing he had died. It was absolutely devastating," she said.
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Kitchen and her husband, described as her "soul mate", were starting a six-week holiday to Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia when the incident occurred in May 2024.
The turbulence hit over Myanmar, with the flight then diverting to Bangkok, Thailand, for an emergency landing.
"There had been some turbulence over Europe, and it had been shaky over the water, but it was around 10 hours into the flight when we encountered the main turbulence," Kitchen recalled.
"It was so severe; it felt like the aircraft was dropping. I noticed my Kindle and Geoff’s phone had fallen to the floor, and I thought the plane was going down."
As the aircraft plummeted, Kitchen said her husband fell on top of her, compressing her into the armrest. Eventually, others helped to move him, and a doctor on board began performing CPR.
Kitchen was taken to a hospital while her husband remained on the plane. It was two days before she was informed of his death.
It is understood that Geoff suffered a heart attack after the plane suddenly dropped at high altitude.
Anthe Korelidou, a specialist aviation lawyer representing Kitchen:
"That Geoff was fatally injured and Linda suffered severe injuries vividly highlights the severity of what happened. While it’s more than two years since Geoff’s death, Linda and the rest of her family continue to have a number of questions and concerns about what happened and if more could have been done to prevent their injuries."
"All Linda wants is for the most thorough investigations to be conducted. The issuing of High Court proceedings is a major milestone in being able to provide Geoff’s loved ones with the answers they deserve."
