STORY: :: The Thai hospital treating Singapore Airlines passengers says most of them have spinal injuries
:: May 23, 2024
:: Bangkok, Thailand
:: Pongsakornr Rodphai
:: May 21, 2024
:: Adinun Kittiratanapaibool, Hospital Director
:: "Of the 41 patients, we found that 22 sustained spinal and spinal cords injuries, six sustained skull and brain injuries, and 13 have injuries to their bones, muscles and other organs. Some of the patients may have more than one injuries but we count the most severe injury as base."
:: "If your question is permanent paralysis, I can say that it's too early to say that it's permanent or not. So, we have to observe the response of the treatment, that after surgery does the muscle function, recover or not. So, we have to observe them."
There were also six people with brain and skull injuries, Adinun told reporters on Thursday as he shared details on those being treated.
The oldest patient at the hospital is 83 years old and the youngest a two-year-old child who suffered a concussion, he added.
Adinun had said 41 people were still under treatment, but later said one person had been discharged and that there were currently no life-threatening cases. He did not provide any breakdown of passengers and crew under treatment.
The scheduled London-Singapore flight SQ321 was diverted to Bangkok on Tuesday (May 21) after the plane was buffeted by severe turbulence which flung passengers and crew around the cabin, slamming some into the ceiling. A 73-year-old British passenger died of a suspected heart attack.
