Grandad dies after severe turbulence on Singapore Airlines flight causes heart failure

Grandad dies after severe turbulence on Singapore Airlines flight causes heart failure Geoff Kitchen had previously undergone surgery for coronary artery disease, but the inquest concluded that the physiological effects of severe turbulence on the Singapore Airlines flight triggered his fatal cardiac arrest A heartbroken wife was unaware her husband of 52 years had died for two days after their plane was struck by severe turbulence, an inquest heard today. Geoff Kitchen, 73, suffered a cardiac arrest when the Singapore Airlines flight he was travelling on with his wife Linda suddenly plunged during. Linda, 74, suffered spinal fractures in the terrifying incident and was rushed to intensive care in Bangkok, where she repeatedly asked about her husband before eventually learning he had died. An inquest at Avon Coroners' Court on Wednesday heard that Geoff's death was caused by heart failure triggered by the physiological effects of the severe turbulence. The couple, from Thornbury, Gloucestershire, had been travelling from London Heathrow to Singapore on May 21, 2024, when their Boeing 777 aircraft encountered severe turbulence over Myanmar, plunging 178ft in less than five seconds. According to an investigation report cited at the inquest, 56 people were seriously injured and 23 suffered minor injuries. The plane was forced to divert to Bangkok. In a statement read to the hearing, Linda recalled watching a film while her husband listened to a podcast shortly before the aircraft suddenly dropped. She said: "The next thing I remember was feeling a huge drop and an incredible pain across by back. I was screaming and I thought the plane was going down." Geoff was thrown onto his wife before two fellow passengers lifted him off her. He was unconscious and was subsequently moved to the floor as passengers desperately tried to resuscitate him. Linda, who was bleeding heavily from a head wound, was moved across the aisle to receive treatment while CPR was carried out on her husband. She explained: "A GP spoke to me, but no one told me my husband had died." The aircraft made an emergency landing at Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, where Geoff was pronounced dead. The inquest heard that Geoff had a history of coronary artery disease and underwent surgery to have stents fitted to his right coronary artery in April 2019. However, a medical review in October that year found he had returned to normal exercise capacity. Consultant pathologist Dr Edward Sheffield concluded that Geoff died from cardiac failure caused by coronary artery atheroma and the physiological effects of aircraft turbulence. Assistant coroner Dr Peter Harrowing said: "Whilst Dr Sheffield says there is an increased risk of sudden unexpected cardiac death in someone such as Geoff with underlying coronary artery disease, I’m satisfied that it was the physiological effect of aircraft turbulence which precipitated the cardiac arrest and ultimately Geoff’s demise." Recording a narrative conclusion, he confirmed that Geoff had died of cardiac failure as a result of the aircraft encountering severe turbulence. Linda spent 10 days in hospital in Thailand before being flown back to Bristol, where she remained in hospital for another week. She previously described the devastation of learning that her husband had died while she was recovering from her own serious injuries. "I thought Geoff and I were the only ones injured until I saw the other ambulances waiting by the plane. When in hospital I kept asking about Geoff, but it wasn't until two days later that I was told he had passed away. "When I got separated from Geoff I knew he was in a bad way, but nothing prepared me for hearing he had died. It was absolutely devastating." Geoff, a retired insurance professional and grandfather of four, was a much-loved figure in his local community. He had been involved with Thornbury Musical Theatre Group for more than 35 years, serving as chairman, treasurer and secretary, and had campaigned to reopen a local theatre venue. Linda, who is now among several British passengers pursuing legal action against Singapore Airlines, previously spoke of the devastating impact her husband's death had on their family. "The last two years have been incredibly difficult. Losing Geoff was a crushing blow to the whole family as we all thought he would be around to see his grandchildren grow up. We had a happy and fulfilled marriage and now I've lost my soulmate."