A Singapore Airlines flight experienced severe turbulence on May 21

It lead to the death of a passenger and injuries to nearly 60 others

It may have encountered the Intertropical Convergence Zone

A Singapore Airlines flight experienced severe turbulence on May 21, leading to the death of a passenger and injuries to nearly 60 others. A former pilot suggested the aircraft may have encountered the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ICZ), a region near the equator known for intense thunderstorms due to the convergence of trade winds and high humidity.

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Marco Chan, a former commercial pilot and lecturer in aviation at Buckinghamshire New University, said that the pilots likely faced limited options. The ICZ is notorious for its storm systems, which can extend over 50 nautical miles, making it challenging for pilots to avoid them completely.

Turbulence, a phenomenon caused by the meeting of air at different temperatures, pressures, or velocities, can be particularly dangerous in the form of clear-air turbulence, which occurs without warning and can take pilots by surprise.

The Boeing 777 jet had to make an emergency landing in Thailand following the turbulence. Geoffrey Kitchen, a 73-year-old British passenger, likely suffered a heart attack during the incident, according to Kittipong Kittikachorn, general manager of Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok.

The incident highlights the dangers of severe turbulence, especially in regions like the ICZ, and underscores the challenges pilots face in navigating such conditions.