Singaporean authorities are actively investigating a Singapore Airlines flight (SQ321) that encountered severe turbulence while en route from London to Singapore. The incident, which occurred earlier this week over Myanmar airspace, tragically resulted in one passenger fatality and injuries to dozens more. Investigators from the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) are focusing their efforts on analyzing crucial data retrieved from the aircraft. This data comes from two critical flight recorders: the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR).
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The CVR captures all conversations and sounds within the cockpit, providing valuable insights into crew actions and communications during the turbulence event. The FDR, on the other hand, records various flight parameters like altitude, airspeed, and g-forces experienced by the aircraft. By analyzing this data, investigators can reconstruct the sequence of events and determine the severity of the turbulence encountered.
Singapore's Transport Minister, Chee Hong Tat, confirmed that a team successfully retrieved the data from both recorders in Bangkok, where the flight diverted after the turbulence incident. This data is currently being meticulously examined to understand the cause of the turbulence and its impact on the flight. The investigation aims to provide a comprehensive picture of the event, aiding in the prevention of similar occurrences in the future.
Transparency is a key aspect, with the Ministry awaiting the final findings from the TSIB before issuing a full report. While the cause of the turbulence remains under investigation, this incident underscores the unpredictable nature of air travel and the importance of crew training and passenger preparedness for such situations.