BRITISH GRANDAD KILLED IN FLIGHT HORROR PLUNGE

73-year-old died and 70 others injured after plane suffered a 'dramatic drop'

- Robert Kellaway

A BRITISH grandfather died after "sudden extreme turbulence" battered a flight from Heathrow to Singapore.

Geoff Kitchen was travelling with his wife Linda on a dream holiday when the Singapore Airlines' Boeing fell 7,000ft as passengers were eating breakfast.

The 73-year-old ex-insurance worker is thought to have suffered a heart attack as dozens of people were flung about the debris-strewn cabin. His wife of more than 50 years was seriously hurt in the terrifying plunge which injured 70 fliers, seven critically.

She was last night being treated in hospital in Bangkok, where the jet made an emergency landing, but her condition was not known. The couple had been starting a six-week holiday of a lifetime to South East Asia, Indonesia and Australia when the Boeing 777-300ER dropped without warning, hurling passengers and crew around the plane.

The cabin crew were on their feet serving and all were hurt - one said she had endured nothing like it in 30 years.

Dzafran Azmir, a 28-year-old passenger, said that 11 hours into the flight "suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing a seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling.

"Some people hit their heads on the baggage cabins overhead and dented it...they hit the places where lights and masks are and broke straight through it."

One stewardess was left with blood on her face. The jet, with 211 passengers including 47 from the UK, plus 18 crew fell as it cruised at 37,000ft near Myanmar in a region battered by extreme tropical thunderstorms.

Last night tributes poured in for Mr Kitchen who ran Thornbury Musical Theatre group in North Bristol, where he directed and appeared in its pantos.

Heartbroken friends were quick to recall an "adventurous" and "really nice guy".