5 Filipinos on board Singapore Airlines flight that hit 'extreme' turbulence

MANILA, Philippines — Five Filipinos were on board a Singapore Airlines plane that hit severe turbulence on Tuesday ten hours into a flight from London to the Southeast Asian nation, the airline said.

A 73-year-old British man died and over 70 people were injured after Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 encountered "sudden extreme turbulence" at around 11,300 meters over Myanmar, during which it rose and plunged several times.

The aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER, was diverted to Bangkok, Thailand.

According to Singapore Airlines, there were 211 passengers and 18 crew on board SQ321.

The nationalities of the passengers were: 56 Australians, two Canadians, one German, three Indian, two Indonesian, one Icelander, four Irish, one Israeli, 16 Malaysians, two Burmese, 23 New Zealanders, five Filipinos, 41 Singaporeans, one South Korean, two Spanish, 47 British and four Americans.

In an update, Singapore Airlines said that 131 passengers and 12 crew members arrived in Singapore via a relief flight early Wednesday.

Another 79 passengers and six crew members remained in Bangkok, including those receving medical care as well as their family members who were on the flight.

"On behalf of Singapore Airlines, I would like to express my deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased passenger. We also deeply apologize for the trauma experienced by all passengers and crew members on this flight," Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong said.

"We are providing all possible assistance and support to them, along with their families and loved ones, during this difficult time. The well-being of our passengers and staff is our utmost priority," he added. — Gaea Katreena Cabico with report from Agence France-Presse