Australian teacher paralysed after Singapore Airline turbulence

An Australian dance teacher on board the turbulence-hit Singapore Airlines flight last month has suffered severe spine injuries, leading to paralysis.

Kerry Jordan and her husband were returning from a holiday in the United Kingdom on May 21 when the plane experienced sudden turbulence.

Jordan, 52 suffered a break in her spine at the C7-T1 segment, which joins the neck with the upper back.

She also suffered a brain bleed, fractures of the two joining vertebrae at the top of the spine, and fractured ribs.

Jordan returned to her seat and tried to put on the seatbelt when turbulence hit. The Singapore Airlines flight was heading from London to Singapore when the plane climbed and descended rapidly twice in 62 seconds over Myanmar.

One passenger died while dozens were injured.

Jordan, in her own words, descried the incident as “absolutely violent.”

“Literally everything just started shaking so much… All I remember was being up in the air and everything was absolutely silent and then I was on the floor,” she added.

Jordan, who faces months of rehabilitation, said she can move her arms but cannot use her hands.

In May, Singapore Airlines apologized to the couple after Davis complained about the lack of information from the airline after the incident.

Scientists blame climate change for increased air turbulence incidents.

Air turbulence often occurs unexpectedly. It is caused by different factors, including atmospheric pressure, jet streams, air around mountains, cold or warm weather fronts, or thunderstorms. It can also occur when the sky is clear.