Singapore Airlines flight SQ321: Australian woman Kerry Jordan left paralysed after extreme turbulence
An Australian woman has been left paralysed from the waist down after she was slammed into overhead lockers onboard a Singapore Airlines flight that hit extreme turbulence this week.
Speaking from a hospital bed in Bangkok, her husband Keith Davis — who himself has been left incredibly battered and bruised — said his wife Kerry Jordan had suffered “severe” spinal trauma.
“Unfortunately Kerry is not in a great space at all, she’s had severe spinal trauma,” he told ABC News.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“She had emergency surgery as soon as we were admitted and it remains that she has no sensation from her waist down, so it’s pretty life-changing.”
Mr Davis said his wife had been flung into the overhead lockers and landed in the aisle, where she remained for the rest of the flight, unable to move as chaos erupted around her.
He said there was no warning ahead of the turbulence.
“It’s not a spot of turbulence. This is the thing. It was absolute instant — we’re on the ceiling,” he said.
“We’re talking literally seconds. There’s no announcement. We did not see any indication at all.
“We just fell into a huge hole and we’re free-falling and of course, you know, straight up into the ceiling.
“I went headfirst. We were in the middle section so I was dead centre and I went up through all the vents and masks and things.
“Unfortunately for Kerry, she hit the luggage doors.
“It was really horrifying . . . I remember I leant over her and she was breathing. She was able to communicate, you know, she was very weak.”
The Boeing 777-300ER was 10 hours into its journey to Singapore from London when it hit the “sudden extreme turbulence” over Myanmar, launching unsuspecting passengers into the roof and overhead lockers.
Fifty-six Australians were onboard, and a 73-year-old British man died. It is believed he suffered a heart attack during the ordeal.
Flight SQ321 was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok after the terrifying ordeal.
About 40 people were injured and are still receiving medical treatment.
The Head of Bangkok’s Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital Adinun Kittiratanapaibool said that about 22 passengers have suffered spinal cord injuries and about six have brain and skull injuries.
They include six British nationals, six Malaysians, three Australians, two Singaporeans and one person each from Hong Kong, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
Mr Davis has been hospitalised for “superficial lacerations” and a “hell of a lot of swelling and bruising”.
Despite the terrifying ordeal, the Adelaide man praised authorities and the Thai hospital for its “exemplary” care and support and the calm response from some passengers onboard the flight.
“Unfortunately the gentleman who passed away was immediately in front of us,” he said.
“Fortunately, Kerry wasn’t able to see any of that, but the young gentleman who was sitting next to me, I saw him there. He was applying CPR instantly.
“This kid had just bounced off a ceiling, destroyed his chair and he was off applying CPR. Some people just bounced straight out of it. It was amazing.”
