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Widow sues Singapore Airlines over fatal turbulence incident
🇸🇬 Singapore /Disasters & Emergencies

Widow sues Singapore Airlines over fatal turbulence incident

From CNA · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified In the courts
  • The widow of a British passenger who died on Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 is suing the airline in Britain.
  • Linda Kitchen suffered severe spinal injuries and is seeking damages for her recovery.
  • Several other passengers are also reportedly taking legal action against Singapore Airlines.

The wife of a British passenger who died following severe turbulence on Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 has initiated legal proceedings against the carrier in Britain. Linda Kitchen, 74, sustained serious spinal injuries, including a broken back, during the incident in May 2024 and is now seeking damages to cover the costs of specialist support for her recovery.

Her husband, Geoff Kitchen, 73, also died on the flight. Court documents indicate that two claims have been filed by the Kitchen family: one by Mrs. Kitchen for her injuries and another on behalf of her late husband's estate. The Independent reported that court records show several other passengers are also pursuing legal action against Singapore Airlines.

Nothing prepared me for hearing he had died. It was absolutely devastating.

— Linda KitchenDescribing her reaction to learning of her husband's death.

Singapore Airlines stated that it is unable to comment on matters currently before the courts. Mrs. Kitchen and her husband were on their way to begin a six-week holiday across Singapore, Indonesia, and Australia when SQ321 encountered extreme turbulence over Myanmar while en route from London to Singapore.

I feel I owe it to him to at least get some answers.

— Linda KitchenExpressing her desire to understand the circumstances of her husband's death.

Mrs. Kitchen described the turbulence as so severe that she believed the aircraft was going to crash. Her husband fell on top of her during the event, pinning her against a seat armrest before other passengers assisted in moving him. A doctor on board administered CPR. She was hospitalized in Bangkok for 10 days before being flown back to Bristol, where she remained hospitalized for another week. She has required significant assistance since her discharge.

She learned of her husband's death two days after the incident. "Nothing prepared me for hearing he had died. It was absolutely devastating," she told the BBC. She also expressed to The Independent a desire to understand the circumstances surrounding her husband's death, stating, "I feel I owe it to him to at least get some answers." Anthe Korelidou, an aviation lawyer representing the family, noted that they still have questions about the incident and whether more could have been done to prevent the injuries sustained.

The family still have questions about what happened and whether more could have been done to prevent their injuries.

— Anthe KorelidouAviation lawyer representing Mrs. Kitchen, highlighting ongoing concerns.
About this summary

Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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