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A much-loved musical director died on board a Singapore Airlines flight during severe turbulence while on his “last big holiday” with his wife. According to his family,
Geoffrey Kitchen, a father of two, has been named as the 73-year-old British national who died on Tuesday when a Boeing 777-300ER plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok en route from London to Singapore.
A spokesperson for Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport said a British man suffered a suspected heart attack on board the plane. There were 211 passengers and 18 crew members on board, including 47 from the UK, but seven people are fighting for their lives in hospital and dozens more are injured.
Singapore Airlines said the plane encountered “sudden extreme turbulence” at 37,000 feet over Myanmar's Irrawaddy Basin about 10 hours after takeoff, leading to the pilot declaring a medical emergency and flight tracking data showing The aircraft was shown to have plummeted 6,000 feet in a few minutes.
Tributes have been pouring in for Mr Kitchen, from Thornbury, just outside Bristol, as details of the terrifying flight continue to emerge.
The wife was rushed to the hospital after the incident, said Kittipong Kittikachorn, general manager of Thailand Airport.
Thornbury Musical Theater Group, where Mr Kitchen has spent much of his time over the past 35 years and of which he has been director since 2020, praised him as a “gentleman of the utmost integrity and integrity”.
Mr Kitchen's cousin Stephen Kitchen said the late pensioner and his wife Linda were looking forward to a six-week holiday together.
He spoke from his home in Chepstow. independent person: “We were a little shocked. We're still in shock. We're trying to get in touch with Linda. We've sent her a message.”
“They were looking forward to the holidays. They like to travel and do things like this a lot. They're pretty adventurous. This was supposed to be their last big vacation. Before they left, they I wish I could have met you. We were on tour around Asia.”
Stephen said he had planned to meet the pair for lunch at the White Hart pub in Lyttelton upon Severn before leaving on holiday, but that was canceled as visa issues needed to be sorted out.
When asked what he remembers about his first cousin, Stephen said, “I have fond memories of him being a musical person and me being a musical person, so we're musically inclined, but he was a member of the Thornbury Musical Group.'' “I know he was very popular. He was just a nice guy.”
Until last week, Kitchen, a retired insurance professional, was helping the group prepare for their next show. journey back to the future, Neighbor and co-member Steve Dimond said he would now dedicate the song to him.
Mr Dimond, who has known Mr Kitchen for 11 years, said: independent: “We will continue with the next show, but it will probably be under his name.
“It's a real shock and he will be sorely missed. He was a kind man and loved musical theater in recent years after his retirement.”
Mr Kitchen had recently campaigned vigorously for the reopening of Armstrong Hall in the town and was highly respected in the community.
The 16-year-old Boeing 777 departed Heathrow Airport at 10:17pm on Monday and landed in Bangkok at 3:45pm local time (9:45am BST) the next day. Flightradar24 said tracking data showed the plane encountered turbulence at around 8:49am BST while flying over Myanmar.
The aviation tracking service said data transmitted by the aircraft showed “rapid changes in vertical velocity consistent with a sudden turbulence event”, adding that there were “several severe” thunderstorms in the area at the time.
Jaffran Azmir, 28, a student on the flight, said the plane experienced a “very dramatic drop” and that passengers who were not wearing seatbelts “were immediately thrown into the ceiling. ” he said.
Images posted on social media showed damage to the cabin ceiling and food, utensils and other debris strewn on the floor after the accident.
When asked about Mr. Kitchen, Mr. Dimond added: “He was a really nice guy and loved live music and theater. I remember him wearing panto this year and dressing up as a sultan. He was funny, a good singer and a lovely person. . Very sociable.”
In a tribute on Tuesday night, Thornbury Musical Theatre Group said: “It is with heavy hearts that we learn of the devastating news that our esteemed colleague and friend, Geoff Kitchen, has passed away in the recent Singapore Airlines disaster.
“Jeff has always been a gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity and always did what was right for the group.
“His dedication to TMTG is undeniable and he has served the Group and the Thornbury community for over 35 years, holding a variety of positions within the Group including Chairman, Treasurer and most recently Secretary. .
“Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family during this difficult time. We ask that you respect their privacy.”
A spokeswoman for Britain's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was supporting the passengers' families and liaising with local authorities.
