Retired nurse Ellen Gillespie flew from Bangkok shortly after deadly emergency landing

A retired nurse who flew from Bangkok airport just after a deadly Singapore Airlines flight’s emergency landing has shared her reluctance at ever travelling internationally again.

A businessman who witnessed the deadly emergency landing of a Singapore Airlines flight in Bangkok on Tuesday has told how he texted his wife to assure her he wasn’t on board.

Jai Rastoji landed at Adelaide Airport for business early Wednesday morning.

“We were in the lounge and when we came out there was just a lot of commotion on the runway where the plane had stopped and a lot of ambulance, police,” Mr Rastoji, who lives in Bangkok, said.

At least eight of the 56 Australians on board the flight from Heathrow were injured and are being treated in a hospital in Bangkok, the government has confirmed.

A British passenger died and more than 30 people were taken to hospital, seven with critical injuries, after Singapore Airlines Flight SQ321 experienced severe turbulence while entering airspace in the region, which is currently being battered by tropical thunderstorms.

The plane plunged 6000ft in five minutes, sending passengers crashing into the ceiling.

One person has died and multiple people have been injured on a Singapore Airlines flight that experienced “severe turbulence”. Picture: Twitter

Jai Rastogi witnessed the Bangkok aftermath.

“There was a lot of movement straight out of the airport, then they disembarked the ones that were all right.

“I travel a lot so it was a wake up call.

“I texted my wife to let her know I wasn’t on the flight because I flew back from Paris the day before and I reminded my daughter to wear the seatbelt because the passengers that were injured weren’t wearing a seatbelt.

“It makes you realise anything can happen.”

David from Aberfoyle Park told FIVEaa his sister and her husband were on the flight from London to Singapore when disaster hit and luckily they were wearing their seatbelts.

“She said basically the seatbelt light came on, no chance for people to put their belts on, it (the plane) just dropped and everyone near them just flew and hit the roof,” David said.

David’s sister witnessed passengers’s heads hit the plane’s overhead compartments.

“She just wanted to ring the people that were important to her and say she loves them because she’s shocked out of her socks,” David said.

“And there’s little kids, siblings taken off to the hospital, still sitting in the airport, it was quite … it’s shocking … I think she was quite in adrenaline mode.”

Retired nurse Ellen Gillespie, 73, said she was nervous getting on the flight from Bangkok to Adelaide because it would have been horrific for the passengers on board the Singapore Airlines flight.

“I’m a retired nurse and I can tell you those injuries would be horrific and sadly I think they’ve got more deaths coming because currently those in hospital are critical and that can go either way, “ the Banksia Park woman said.

Ellen Gillespie, 73, was apprehensive getting on a flight from Bangkok to Adelaide after hearing of the Singapore Airlines emergency landing. Picture: RoyVPhotography

“It would have been like balls in the tumble dryer, it would have horrific.

“I always do (wear a seatbelt) being a retired nurse I’m very aware of safety issues and they always tell you to keep it on if you don’t have to get up out of your seat.”

Ms Gillespie said she had been shaken by the incident and this international holiday she’d just returned from – where she visited Ireland, London, Paris and Singapore – could be her last.

“I think international flying for me now, this might be it,” she said.

“I just want a vegemite sandwich and a cup of tea.”

Originally published as Retired nurse Ellen Gillespie flew from Bangkok shortly after deadly emergency landing