Recently, a Singaporean passenger plane encountered turbulence, resulting in a major accident where one person died and over 70 others were injured. With climate change leading to more frequent turbulence, airlines are stepping up their response training and vigilance.
Reporter Noh Dong-kyu:
A Singapore Airlines passenger plane made an emergency landing after rapidly descending 1,800 meters in just 3 minutes at an altitude of 11,000 meters above sea level. The incident, which resulted in 72 casualties, is believed to have been caused by sudden turbulence.
Situations like turbulence are always a top concern for airlines. At the airline integrated control center monitoring real-time flight situations of around 400 flights per day, air traffic controllers contact the pilots in-flight about potential turbulence encounters.
[Air Traffic Controller Communication]
“We have received reports of encountering mild turbulence. Expecting mild turbulence from Papa, India airspace up to 11,600 meters altitude. Please pay attention to this area.”
By notifying following flights of turbulence encounters reported by preceding aircraft along similar routes, ground control centers aim to prepare them for unexpected severe weather conditions in advance. Some aircraft are equipped with turbulence detection devices that automatically transmit and store data.
[Yu Jong-seok/Executive Director of Safety and Health at Korean Air] “There are regions with particularly bad weather. During joint flight and cabin briefings, we emphasize caution in certain areas and provide thorough education…”
Since unpredictable weather can be encountered at any time, the response capabilities of flight attendants are crucial.
[Kwon Bo-heon/Professor of Aviation Safety Management Department at Far East University]
“Turbulence strong enough to damage the aircraft rarely occurs. There are some precursor symptoms. Training to immediately secure the nearest seat and sit down during turbulence is important.”
Experts commonly agree that having seat belts fastened significantly reduces the likelihood of injuries from turbulence.
(Video Production: Yoon Hyung, Video Editing: Oh Young-taek)