Horror Singapore Air flight: Nelson couple speaks of terror, injuries

A Nelson couple on board the horror Singapore Airlines flight earlier this week say at one point they didn't know if they'd survive.

There were 211 passengers and crew members on board Flight SQ321 from London to Singapore when sudden turbulence over Myanmar saw the aircraft descend 1800 metres in about three minutes on May 22.

A British man died from a suspected heart attack following the incident.

The Boeing 777-300ER plane was diverted to Bangkok in Thailand. Singapore Airlines yesterday said 131 passengers and 12 crew members were well enough to fly from Thailand's capital to Singapore Changi Airport.

Seventy-nine passengers and six crew members remained in Bangkok, where the majority are receiving hospital treatment.

Of that number, 20 are in the intensive care unit — including one Kiwi and three Australians.

Nelson man Bruce Ealam said he had his ear sliced open and bruised his neck in the incident.

His wife Debbie had been sitting across from the British man who died of a suspected heart attack.

She said they had been warned of some turbulence when leaving London but it had been calm before the incident.

"There was just violent shaking of the plane," she told 1News. "It felt like a really, really strong earthquake."

The recalled the plane shaking from side to side, followed by a "really, really loud noise" as "everything hit the roof".

"It was just black for an instant."

Her immediate concern was the injured people around her, with a flight attendant who had been delivering meals clutching the leg of her seat throughout the turbulence.

Debbie said she wasn't aware her husband had been hurt until she turned around and "saw blood everywhere on him".

Bruce had been about to eat breakfast after taking a walk in the cabin when the plane began shaking.

"I suddenly realised I didn't have my seatbelt on because I'd been up," he said.

"I went to try and click it on and next thing I know, I was in the ceiling. It seemed to be a blank sort of a space and then I was sitting down again."

While the initial turbulence and the sudden decent lasted around three minutes, both say it felt much shorter.

"It all happened within a minute. It was very fast to me — and then there was a lot of screaming," Debbie said.

Bruce agreed, saying he "thought it was less than a minute".

"It was just really fast because all I could see when I went into the ceiling — all I could see was just white. It just seemed to be over within seconds."

After the screams of the terrified passengers died down, Debbie said there was silence as "everyone was in a daze and just trying to gather themselves".

"Once I started looking around the plane, that's when you saw the damage of what had happened and how hurt people actually were."

He initially didn't realise the extent of his injuries.

"My face on one side must have scraped up the side of the wall and when I went into the ceiling it tore my ear open," he said.

"When it happened, initially I thought it needs a sticking plaster on it but the doctor had other ideas about that."

After the emergency landing in Bangkok, Bruce was taken to the hospital, where he received 31 stitches.

While some have criticised Singapore Airlines for their handing of the situation, the Ealams would like to thank them.

They had a support person from the airline with them almost the entire time they were in Bangkok and on their return to New Zealand.

"We had a phone call from Singapore Airlines last night to check we made it home and if we needed anything and we're alright. So I can't say enough about how they've actually dealt with the situation."

The Ealams arrived back in New Zealand yesterday and said they are relieved to be home.

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