Latest news with #Saw
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a day ago
- General
- Buzz Feed
Take On These 41 Easy Bath Upgrades Yourself
Slap a "frame" onto your bathroom or wall mirror with a roll of wood grain tape that'll make your space feel a bit more intentionally designed — even if you inherited a bunch of someone else's design choices. Promising review: "Where do I start? I absolutely LOVE this product. I wanted to replace our bathroom mirror, but due to the size, it would have cost a lot! I came across this on Amazon and decided to give it a try. The application process was super easy and applied without bubbles as long as you go slow and rub it down as you go. I kid you not. It looks like wood and feels like it, too! You can feel and see the 'wood grain.' It's absolutely stunning and looks like I bought a whole new mirror." —TaylorGet it from Amazon for $7.98. Remove all sorts of stubborn rings that've been staring at you every time you're in the washroom using a pumice stone toilet bowl cleaner. Nope, you do NOT need a new toilet. Your OG just requires some zhuzhing. Promising review: "OMG!!! It works!!! After having this toilet buildup I gave up on everything, but I saw that this product 'worked' and decided to give it a try... with a little elbow grease and some music blasting in the background I managed to remove it all!!! I can't believe it. I'm so happy, I was so embarrassed when company came over and would see that, not no more... yay!!!" —Asdrubal OrantesGet it from Amazon for $11. And keep it looking brand-new with a miraculous automatic bleach toilet-cleaning system, because you can't enjoy the first Saw film without thinking about cleaning. This gadget will send cleaner into your bowl with each flush! It's super quick to install, and one cartridge can last up to three months!Promising review: "This is an excellent invention for keeping the toliet bowl fresh without a tablet that harms the flush seal. I was frequently replacing the seals in the tank but with this setup the seals last and last." —Awesome GuyGet it from Amazon for $9.97. Put in a fresh new set of switch plates that'll help 'em blend into your walls, even if the landlord painted the switch plates to match (YOU CAN STILL TELL). Can you screw in a screw? Then you can handle this transformative swap. If your hair dryer plug keeps falling out of the bathroom outlet and you're starting to wonder if you need to pay for an electrician to get involved, try a set of Snug Plugs. These little contraptions make a snug fit between outlets and plugs to keep 'em where you want. Try out a tile and stone repair kit in case your floor has some unsightly cracks, marks, chips, or gouges you tend to fixate on whilst atop the toilet. Promising review: "I was skeptical about being able to conceal hairline cracks in our bathroom tile that is marbled. After matching the base color, filling the cracks and waiting for the areas to dry, I honestly had a hard time finding the cracks again to apply the clear lacquer. Wish I had found this product sooner. Will recommend to all my friends." —Aileen it from Amazon for $23.05. And if grout is the issue, invest in a grout pen so you don't have to stare at the stained grout and imagine what it used to look like. Grout takes up a teeny bit of space but, as you can see from the pics, makes a huge impact! I've used this in my own rental bathroom several times. I find that it stays put for about a year on my tile floor! It's easy but a bit tedious, depending on your tiled floor design. Just put on a podcast episode and get to work. Promising review: "We moved into our new home, and the shower had a really yellow grout. Cleaning didn't do anything, and I saw this grout pen online. What a saver! Otherwise, I would have just hired someone to replace my shower. I used this grout pen, and my husband was so impressed :D The tip loses its shape fast, but just pull out the TIP AND FLIPPED IT OVER, and you'll have a new tip." —jenniferGet it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in two sizes). But if you'd prefer to start from scratch-ish, consider some peel-and-stick floor tiles. These beauts are a 1/2-inch thick vinyl so they'll hold up to foot traffic. And even better news for your bathroom, they're water-resistant and washable! Each box has 10 12" x 12" tiles. Promising review: "Best purchase ever, love that it brightened and give my bathroom a new fresh look. Easy to put together and only took about two hours." —BillyGet it from Amazon for $12.90. Employ a rust stain-removing gel to remove rusty stains and discolorations from the previous tenant that bleach hasn't cut through just yet. It's time to feel like you're ACTUALLY clean after a shower. Really elevate your windows with some cordless, no-drill Roman shades that'll be a breeze to install. *Easily* install curtains with NoNo Brackets, aka curtain rod brackets that fit onto your existing blinds so that you don't have to fool with drilling any holes and having to spackle them later or (!!!) get charged when you move out of your rental. Or if you feel like curtains would crowd your space but don't already have blinds, gain some renter-friendly privacy with a window film. It'll still let in SO much light. I did this to my bathroom window and congratulate myself for it every day. Promising review: "I have a weird skinny window in my house where no normal window covering works. People walking on our community trail can see up into our upstairs bathroom when the light is on and it's dark outside. Not a good plan at all. So I used this window film and cut different-sized circles and placed then on this window to interrupt the view into the house. Worked perfectly! Very easy to use." —MarsgardGet it from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in 14 sizes). If you've got water stains (or stains from other liquids) on your bathroom cabinet, try out a watermark–removing cloth. The reviewer below said it even worked on dribbled nail polish! Use some wood polish and conditioner that'll revive all sorts of wood surfaces and furniture in your home with some patient rubbing, including bathroom cabinetry! Then once you've tackled that, you can use it on front doors, kitchen cabinets, wood floors, wood furniture, and just about any other wood surface. Get to know this marble lookalike of self-adhesive film because maybe a bath remodel is not in the stars but you can fake a new countertop on the cheap. All ya' need is this and a bit of patience. It's also great for kitchen countertops! Or try out a stone-effect spray paint that'll help transform an extremely '80s bathroom vanity. It won't be a 30-minute project, but the price point sure will beat replacing it with a new top. Promising review (from 2018): "May 2020 Update: The countertop is just now starting to need (slight) touch ups around the sink itself. We had to postpone the remodel until this summer, and this counter has held up like a champ. I couldn't be happier with this product!This paint can be a little tricky to work with until you get the hang of how it applies, my suggestion would be to test it out on a scrap or something prior to applying. Once I had it, this product was a breeze to work recently purchased a new home, and we're not gutting our main bathroom until next summer, and I just couldn't live with that 1980s green another day. So, after reading a lot of tutorials, I decided to go for it and paint the counter. I LOVE how it came out! Once it was dry for 24 hours, I applied several coats of poly and let it sit for 72 hours before I let the counter go back into normal use. It's held up like a dream. I wouldn't use any heavy chemicals on it (but I wouldn't advise those period), but otherwise zero issues with it.(I had done this previously with a different color by a different brand and the outcome was similar, it held up like brand new for several months of daily abuse before I decided to repaint because I didn't really like the color).I think this will easily hold up until we remodel, and it looks great too. DEFINITELY better than that '80s green!Side Note: I see a lot of negative reviews on this product because it doesn't hold up for people outdoors. USE A SEALANT. Don't blame a product if you don't use it correctly. It's not rocket science folks." —MistellaGet it from Amazon for $22 (available in six colors). Borrow a little air space above your go-to outlet with an outlet shelf *just* large enough for your electric toothbrush. If you've put on a regular outlet cover, you've got this! FYI, it installs like a regular outlet cover. Of course except with the wonderful shelf. Can also be installed so the shelf is below the outlet. Promising review: "I absolutely love this thing! I have much less clutter on my sink thanks to this. If there's anyone not sure if it will fit due to an object, all you need is 1.25 inches of space between the edge of your existing outlet plate and the piece of furniture. I have a GFCI with a standard wall plate." —Amazon CustomerGet it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in four colors). Optimize your regular old outlets by switching to a SnapPower GuideLight instead of giving up a plug for a night-light. YES, you can swap an outlet wall plate. I swear. Stick on some rechargeable motion sensor under-cabinet lights so you won't have to turn on your overhead bathroom light didn't a witching hour pee break. These have a built-in magnet that'll stick on most metals, or you can use the included adhesive tape to tape them onto an existing review: "These lights are so worth it. I have a closet with no light in it, and I installed these in maybe two minutes flat, and it has completely fixed my disdain for the previously dark and disorganized closet. If you think you need these, you probably do." —HDGet it from Amazon for $19.78+ (available in two sizes and in warm or white light). Or install a motion-activated toilet light so you won't have to fully disrupt your sleep by turning the overhead light on during a pitch-black bathroom trip. Pop in an expandable under-sink kit that can fit around awkward pipes in the bathroom while giving some sturdy ground to those bottles of cleaner and rolls of toilet paper. No more cabinet avalanches or taking out every single thing except the bottle of nail polish remover you were looking for that just so happened to be in the back corner. If you YEARN for pretty printed wallpaper, stick on some sweet tangerine wall decals. It's way easier installation and significantly less cash. Organize your blow-dryer, straightener, and curling iron with a hair tools holder that will neither clutter up your countertop, nor have you giving up on straightening your hair because your tools are too organized and squared away in the depths of your cabinet. Cover up any chips and marks that seem to follow you around the room like one of those portraits where the eyes look straight forward with a container of touch-up paint. Those portraits ARE fun in The Haunted Mansion, but we don't want to recreate that in your powder room. DEEP clean that jacuzzi tub with a jetted tub cleaner you simply run through in a bath cycle and just watch the filth EMERGE from the pipes and then wipe it away. Maybe you don't want to revisit that horror show of settling in for a bath in your new-to-you jetted tub only to see some random dirt floating in the water that you KNOW did not come from your body. But, that nightmarish scene *is* what led you to this product. Close the gap between your shower curtain liner and the cold air of you bathroom with some shower curtain holders to keep water inside the shower instead of all over your bathroom floor. Give yourself a sturdy hold for entering and exiting the tub with a suction-cup, easy-install safety grip. This is especially great if you can't (because renting) or don't want to commit to a permanent grab bar. Cover up a "boob light" by popping on a renter-friendly Tulip shade. You simply mount a ring on the ceiling with double-sided tape and put on the magnetic shade. Create an obscene amount of shower toiletry space with a shower curtain liner with mesh storage pockets where you can stash all sorts of hair mask bottles. I love and will buy for as long as it's a thing I can buy. Or, swap to a self-expanding shower curtain in case you yearn for more room in the shower and swore that 2025 would be the year you install a curved shower curtain rod — which *is* a great home upgrade! BUT. Swapping to this curtain bumps out the space and keeps your liner from clinging to your wet back, which is always creepy! And elevate whatever shower curtain you have with some streamlined shower curtain hooks because they're an essential and those regular old plastic round ones don't really do anything for your bathroom aesthetic. Make a measly vanity drawer work as well as it can for you with a drawer organizer set that'll help you track down the slanted-tip tweezers (NOT flat-tip) because you noticed a weird chin hair while brushing your teeth. Keep track of a slippery bar of bath soap with a magnetic soap dispenser that sticks to your wall with 3M adhesive tape. Now you won't have to worry about it getting all gooey and gross in a soap dish or traditional holder. Here's to getting the most mileage out of that pricey beaut. Position a pair of heavy-duty towel hooks *right* where you need them by the shower so you aren't dripping all over the bathroom to reach the towel rack on the far wall. And because they're peel-and-stick, reviewers even put them on their shower surround! Or add a significant amount of charm with a clothespin towel holder in case you won't settle for a regular old towel rack (and that is completely FINE). Give yourself some extra peace of mind with a timed safety shutoff plug you simply plug into the wall. After all, your holy grail hair straightener doesn't have an auto-shutoff and you're a tad forgetful. Tidy up your toothbrush area with a do-it-all toothbrush holder and dispenser might make it feel like you and your outside bones are living in the future. (But, like, not a dystopian future OK?) If you're willing to take on a big-impact project (for NOT as much effort as you'd think), a can of eco-friendly chalk-like paint will transform a piece of furniture or cabinetry into something fresh and new feeling, for MUCH less cost and effort than pricing out a replacement. Psst, you don't need a primer OR top coat with this stuff. Plus, it contains no harsh chemicals such as phthalates, formaldehyde, heavy metals, or solvents. Promising review: "First time painting anything in my life, and it was great. No sanding or priming is needed. Beautiful colors; description and pictures are so accurate. Easy to paint and quick to dry. Time-saving! I will always be using this paint." —Samah SafiGet it from Amazon for $14.95+ (available in four sizes and over 50 colors). Switch to a fancy 12-inch showerhead here for a little daily luxury. And if you've been blasted by a rainfall shower in a hotel before, no worries. This has an adjustable flow that'll give you that or some gentle precipitation. And yes, you can handle installation! Promising review: "Wished I upgraded my showerhead sooner. Installation was very simple, and it even came with a guide if needed. It comes with an extension arm that connects to your existing water pipe. No leaks whatsoever, and I did not need any other tools. Took less than five minutes to install. It feels really nice standing right under the showerhead, and it covers your whole body with nice pressure and looks nice! Definitely recommend it to those looking for an upgrade!" —Vincent HorngGet it from Amazon for $35.99+ (available in two sizes and four finishes). Replace your worse-for-wear pail for a super slick motion-activated trash can so you can be all hands-off with your bathroom garbage. Plus, the lid is waterproof! Reviewers say the motion sensor is the perfect amount of sensitive, meaning your cat or you strolling by won't activate it. Check it out in Julianna Christensen's TikTok it's powered by two AA batteries (not included).Promising review: "I love this trash can because no one will ever see the trash I put in my bathroom trash can. When I put my hand above the sensor, it opens so discreetly and gently, and stays open for a few seconds then gently closes. The outside is absolutely beautiful. I know it's just a trash can, but in my bathroom it looks like a cute piece of art." —DawnGet it from Amazon for $22.49+ (available with gold or gray detailing and in two sizes). And dress up your cabinetry with some black matte-steel cabinet pulls that'll make your bathroom feel like it was remodeled in this century. Promising review: "Perfect! They were exactly what I was going for! Great quality, very durable, and actually have some weight to them. Great purchase for replacing all of the hardware in my kitchen and bathroom for the camper I am remodeling. Definitely would recommend, especially at such an amazing price. Great value for great quality!" —Summertime Get it from Amazon for $5.95+ (available in quantities 1 through 60 and in black, gold, or silver).
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Saw to cut a swathe with horror genre in 'Laknat'
LIKEABLE. Composed. Charming. You would not associate this person with an interest in freaky scares, and things that go bump in the night. Yet, award-winning producer and director Saw Teong Hin is all set to premiere his first horror movie, 'Laknat', next month. "For me, what is fascinating about the horror genre is how people behave when confronted with something like primal fear. "Do they lose it or keep it together? Behave badly or do the right thing?," he says during a late-night chat with NST. 'Laknat' tells the story of a man who goes off the rails when his sister meets a violent death. He turns to the dark arts for vengeance, explains the 63-year-old Penang native known for directing the Malay language epic fantasy film 'Puteri Gunung Ledang' and 'You Mean the World to Me', the first Malaysian production filmed entirely in Hokkien. "I have been looking for a solid horror script for a while. However, I did not come across any that I felt I could do something with. Then, one day, I was approached by an old collaborator with the 'Laknat' script. "With 'Laknat', I found an interesting way to tell a horror story in a genre that has already been so heavily mined." The movie, set for a June 5 opening, stars a talented ensemble cast that includes Aeril Zafrel, Puteri Balqis, Jalik Hamid, Amerul Affendi and Umie Aida, among others. There were some challenging scenes to shoot, he says. "The scenes are mainly set at night, and shooting through the night for long periods is particularly weary. Also, night shoots offer shorter productive hours. It is a challenge, so we had to be really efficient, focused and thorough with our shoots." He adds that one particularly challenging scene involved young actress Puteri Balqis at a river. "Shooting at the river at 4am with a large crowd was one challenging scene, particularly for Puteri Balqis, who had to be immersed in the cold river water. She was a real trouper." Saw shot 'Laknat' mainly in Banting, Selangor and Sungkai, Perak. "These were carming locations with friendly, helpful locals. They were cooperative and turned up in force to help as extras on the set. "We stayed with the community instead of travelling up and down from Kuala Lumpur and other places for the shoots. The food we catered was lovely." So, one wonders, did any odd things take place during the filming on site? "During the shoot, aside from the occasional inexplicable chills, smells and sounds, a member of the crew fainted during a night shoot, which was worrying. Fortunately we had both first aid and an ustaz on set for any eventuality." Saw feels 'Laknat' will appeal to Malaysians because of the strong cast and the solid storytelling. "The cast are good actors who well represent their generation, and many of us will appreciate their talent. I also feel the way the story in 'Laknat' is told is intriguing," he says confidently. While 'Laknat' awaits moviegoers, Saw himself is looking for his next project. "I never know what's next. I tend to alternate between film and theatre, then film and theatre. I like both. One informs the other.
Elle
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
Sarah Pidgeon on 'Stereophonic', Horror Films, and Broadway Dreams
Justin French Short trench, trousers, Loewe. Earrings, Cartier. Right before our interview, Sarah Pidgeon headed to her home pour-over setup and hastily threw together some caffeinated sustenance. The results were grainier than she'd prefer. 'It has more…texture than you want a cup of coffee to have,' she says, grimacing a little over her mug. This might mark the first and only time Pidgeon has rushed through something. Her Broadway debut, in the Tony Awards–sweeping play (for which she was nominated for Best Featured Actress), was a slow and steady ascent—she auditioned just before the pandemic, after which the show understandably was paused, and then, in 2023, her chance came again. In the ensuing years, she had grown up a lot, and brought a hard-won depth and maturity to the character of Diana, a member of a '70s band on the rise. Stereophonic was 'such a beast of a project,' between its three-hour run time and extensive vocal requirements. Justin French Dress, shoes, Bottega Veneta. Earrings, ring, Shay Jewelry. 'Every character I've played, I'm always 'Team Fill-in-the-Blank.' Even if they're extremely flawed, there's a way to justify what they did,' Pidgeon says. 'I did judge Diana a bit for being in this relationship [with her bandmate] and finding it so difficult to advocate for herself. It's like, 'Just get out, leave him,' but it's so much more complicated than that. She's in a different time, and she's extremely dependent on him. He introduced her to music, he helped her write all of her first songs, and now she's starting to have a lot of agency as a songwriter by herself.' 'Motorcycles actually scare me a lot more than horror movies do.' Pidgeon has always been a theater kid. She studied at Interlochen, the famed arts camp and academy in Michigan, where 'the cutest guy could be the oboe player. It was like, 'Oh, he is really good at oboe, though,'' she says, adopting a lovelorn-tween lilt. She then headed to Carnegie Mellon (alma mater of Billy Porter) before landing roles on The Wilds and Tiny Beautiful Things . Justin French Short trench, trousers, Loewe. Earrings, Cartier. Next up for Pidgeon is a trifecta of big- and small-screen roles. This summer, you can catch her in the sequel to I Know What You Did Last Summer . The original came out when she was only a year old, but she's nevertheless a fan of the franchise (and of horror in general—as a kid, she watched the Saw series 'night after night,' she says, with her dog sitting beside her). In the hands of director Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, the genius behind Pidgeon will also appear in the motorcycle movie Born to Lose , which she filmed in Paducah, Kentucky, immediately after concluding her Stereophonic run. ('Motorcycles actually scare me a lot more than horror movies do,' she notes.) And after our interview, the news broke that she would be playing American Love Stor y series for FX. But her heart still resides in the glow of the footlights. She'd love to do a Chekhov play or a one-woman show. And as far as movies go, 'I'd also be down to do a real period piece,' she says, adding jokingly, 'I think it'd be fun to, I don't know, carry buckets of milk around a pasture.' Knowing Pidgeon, she'd find a way to make that utterly compelling. Hair by Sami Knight for Rehab ; makeup by Alexandra French at Forward Artists; manicure by Jolene Brodeur at The Wall Group; produced by Anthony Federici at Petty Cash Production; photographed at Malibu Creek Ranch. A version of this story appears in the Summer 2025 issue of ELLE. Related Stories
The Star
21-05-2025
- General
- The Star
SQ321 incident: One year on, passengers recall how extreme turbulence upended their lives
SINGAPORE: It has been six months since giving birth to her second child in November 2024, but Saw Rong still cannot carry the baby girl. She fractured her back a year ago when extreme air turbulence hit a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight she and her husband were taking from London to Singapore. Saw, who is in her 30s, was two months pregnant then. On May 21, 2024, she and other passengers were flung up into the air on Flight SQ321 when sudden, extreme turbulence caused the Boeing 777-300ER to drop 178 feet, or about 54m, in 4.6 seconds. It wreaked havoc in the cabin, leaving a British passenger dead from a suspected heart attack and dozens injured, some seriously. One of the pilots declared a medical emergency and diverted the plane, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. The impact fractured Saw's back, and she underwent spinal surgery in Bangkok, where she was hospitalised for about a month. She has not been able to carry anything heavy since, her sister-in-law Eva Khoo told The Straits Times on May 19. One year on from the ill-fated flight, Saw and her husband, Ian Khoo, continue to receive treatment for their injuries in Malaysia, where they live. They are 'scared and traumatised' by the experience, and have not set foot on a plane since flying home from Bangkok in 2024, said Eva, who has been speaking for the family on this matter. Ian was thrown up from his seat when turbulence struck, and his head hit the overhead luggage compartment before he crashed down onto the floor of the aisle. He suffered head injuries, and his vision also appeared to have been affected, as he confused certain hues and perceived dark shades as lighter ones, Eva told ST from a Bangkok hospital in 2024. Even now, he still has numbness in his hands, his sister said. She thinks it will take a long time for the couple to recover, mentally and physically. 'The incident had a very big impact on them,' Khoo said. 'They thought they were going to die.' On whether Saw and Ian have accepted compensation offers from SIA, Eva said they are in negotiations with the airline 'until both parties can come to an agreement'. In response to questions from ST, SIA said it had sent compensation offers to passengers in June 2024. 'While some passengers have accepted these offers, we continue to engage with the others directly or via their appointed representatives,' the airline said, adding that it was unable to provide more details for confidentiality reasons. The airline has offered each passenger with minor injuries US$10,000 (S$13,000) in compensation. SIA also offered an advance payment of US$25,000 to passengers with more serious injuries to meet their immediate needs ahead of discussions over the final compensation amount. Such advance payments are not considered an admission of liability. In preliminary findings released eight days after the incident, Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) said passengers had eight seconds to react after pilots turned on the 'fasten seat belt' sign before the aircraft encountered turbulence. At 3.49.21pm (Singapore time) on May 21, 2024, while cruising at 37,000 feet, the wide-body jet started to vibrate and fluctuate between plus 0.44G and plus 1.57G for 19 seconds, likely after entering an area of convective activity, or upward and downward currents of air often associated with thunderstorms. G-forces measure rapid acceleration or deceleration by comparing it with the normal pull of gravity on earth, which is considered plus 1G. Hence, at plus 1.57G, a person would feel like they were 1.57 times their body weight. At the same time the G-force fluctuated, SQ321 while on autopilot started to rise rapidly. In response, the autopilot pitched the aircraft downwards to return to 37,000 feet. At 3.49.32pm, one of the pilots turned on the seat-belt sign. Eight seconds later, the aircraft experienced a sudden drop in altitude, causing unbelted passengers and crew to be flung up. According to the preliminary investigation, the plane's vertical acceleration went back to positive 1.5G within four seconds, causing those who were flung up from their seats to fall back down. The plane dropped 178 feet, from 37,362 feet to 37,184 feet. As a result, some passengers and crew members were injured. For six past turbulence-related accidents, the TSIB released its final reports anywhere between 8½ months and nearly 2½ years after they happened. Most were made public within 19 months. ST has contacted the Ministry of Transport, which oversees the TSIB, for an update on the investigation. An Australian woman, Kerry Jordan, 53, who was aboard the flight with her husband, suffered a spinal injury and was left a quadriplegic. Jordan, a former high school dance and drama teacher, told ST she was discharged from hospital in April 2025 and was 'only now beginning to confront my new reality'. 'My injury is so severe that I require assistance 24/7 just to be able to get out of bed and face the day confined to my wheelchair,' she said. Jordan, who is permanently incapacitated, said she is now living in temporary accommodation because her home – a free-standing, two-storey house in Adelaide – could not be adapted to her current situation and would need to be completely rebuilt, at a cost of about A$2 million (S$1.66 million). She said SIA had provided compensation of US$170,000, per the Montreal Convention, but this was far from adequate for her needs. 'My life has changed forever,' she said. Singapore is a signatory to the 1999 Montreal Convention, and it has been incorporated into the law here. Under the Convention, claims of up to about US$170,000 can be made for death or bodily injuries arising from international aviation accidents, regardless of whether the airline was at fault. For claims exceeding this sum, the airline may avoid liability if it can prove that the damage was not due to negligence on its part, or was due solely to a third party. One issue that may arise is whether passengers heeded any warnings to belt up. Amelia Lim, a 44-year-old Malaysian public relations executive, said she was trying to fasten her seat belt when the turbulence happened. 'I felt my seat drop and I flew off my seat,' she told ST. 'The next thing I knew, I was on the floor'. She had been on holiday in Britain. She suffered a concussion and whiplash, and had lacerations, chest trauma and 'bruises all over the place', she said. One year on, she suffers from frequent headaches and still requires physiotherapy. While she has continued to travel after the incident – mostly for work – she feels anxious and has 'panic attacks the moment the plane jolts', she said. Before she flies, there is also 'a lot more preparation, checking the weather', she added. She accepted US$10,000 in compensation from SIA. Some have also questioned if Flight SQ321 could have avoided the turbulence. Chicago-based aviation lawyer Floyd Wisner, whose firm is in discussions with SIA on behalf of his clients, including Jordan, noted that other carriers in the area at around the same time had flown around the developing thunderstorm. Based on ST's checks, for example, Swiss International Air Lines Flight LX181 from Bangkok to Zurich was flying in the same vicinity as SQ321 on May 21, 2024. The airline told ST in September 2024 that its pilots made 'significant course deviations' on that day, using the onboard weather radar to navigate around severe weather conditions, resulting in several course adjustments. Peter Carter, a Brisbane-based aviation lawyer, said he is acting for 11 passengers from Australia, Singapore, Britain and New Zealand. His firm is also 'investigating claims for other passengers who have no physical injuries but have major post-traumatic stress disorder'. Damages for mental injury are not normally claimable unless they are linked to physical injury, Carter noted. London-based law firm Stewarts is also representing passengers on SQ321 spanning multiple jurisdictions. With many passengers sustaining life-changing spinal cord and brain injuries, according to Stewarts, claims are expected to easily exceed the Montreal Convention first-tier limit, the firm said in a statement on May 17. 'This is where the real combat between the parties will lie,' it added. James Healy-Pratt, a London-based lawyer, said he is representing 10 passengers with injuries ranging from paralysis and spinal fractures to significant soft tissue and psychiatric injuries. Under the Montreal Convention, passengers can choose to bring claims in relevant jurisdictions, such as their country of residence, the destination country of the flight, or the country where the airline is based. There is also a two-year limitation period for claims to be brought against SIA. The airline on May 20 said: 'SIA deeply apologises to all passengers and crew members for the traumatic experience on board Flight SQ321.' It said it continues to cooperate fully with the relevant authorities in the investigation into the incident. 'We are also firmly committed to providing the necessary support and assistance to the affected passengers.' - The Straits Times/ANN
AsiaOne
21-05-2025
- General
- AsiaOne
SQ321 incident: One year on, passengers recall how extreme turbulence upended their lives, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — It has been six months since giving birth to her second child in November 2024, but Saw Rong still cannot carry the baby girl. She fractured her back a year ago when extreme air turbulence hit a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight she and her husband were taking from London to Singapore. Saw, who is in her 30s, was two months pregnant then. On May 21, 2024, she and other passengers were flung up into the air on Flight SQ321 when sudden, extreme turbulence caused the Boeing 777-300ER to drop 178 feet, or about 54m, in 4.6 seconds. It wreaked havoc in the cabin, leaving a British passenger dead from a suspected heart attack and dozens injured, some seriously. One of the pilots declared a medical emergency and diverted the plane, carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members, to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport. The impact fractured Saw's back, and she underwent spinal surgery in Bangkok, where she was hospitalised for about a month. She has not been able to carry anything heavy since, her sister-in-law Eva Khoo told The Straits Times on May 19. One year on from the ill-fated flight, Saw and her husband, Mr Ian Khoo, continue to receive treatment for their injuries in Malaysia, where they live. They are "scared and traumatised" by the experience, and have not set foot on a plane since flying home from Bangkok in 2024, said Ms Khoo, who has been speaking for the family on this matter. Mr Khoo was thrown up from his seat when turbulence struck, and his head hit the overhead luggage compartment before he crashed down onto the floor of the aisle. He suffered head injuries, and his vision also appeared to have been affected, as he confused certain hues and perceived dark shades as lighter ones, Ms Khoo told ST from a Bangkok hospital in 2024. Even now, he still has numbness in his hands, his sister said. [[nid:685514]] She thinks it will take a long time for the couple to recover, mentally and physically. "The incident had a very big impact on them," Ms Khoo said. "They thought they were going to die." On whether Ms Saw and Mr Khoo have accepted compensation offers from SIA, Ms Khoo said they are in negotiations with the airline "until both parties can come to an agreement". Ms Saw Rong fractured her back one year ago on Flight SQ321, and still cannot carry her second child (left), who was born in November 2024. PHOTO: Eva Khoo In response to questions from ST, SIA said it had sent compensation offers to passengers in June 2024. "While some passengers have accepted these offers, we continue to engage with the others directly or via their appointed representatives," the airline said, adding that it was unable to provide more details for confidentiality reasons. The airline has offered each passenger with minor injuries US$10,000 (S$13,000) in compensation. SIA also offered an advance payment of US$25,000 to passengers with more serious injuries to meet their immediate needs ahead of discussions over the final compensation amount. Such advance payments are not considered an admission of liability. Passengers had seconds to fasten seat belts In preliminary findings released eight days after the incident, Singapore's Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) said passengers had eight seconds to react after pilots turned on the "fasten seat belt" sign before the aircraft encountered turbulence. At 3.49.21pm (Singapore time) on May 21, 2024, while cruising at 37,000 feet, the wide-body jet started to vibrate and fluctuate between plus 0.44G and plus 1.57G for 19 seconds, likely after entering an area of convective activity, or upward and downward currents of air often associated with thunderstorms. G-forces measure rapid acceleration or deceleration by comparing it with the normal pull of gravity on earth, which is considered plus 1G. Hence, at plus 1.57G, a person would feel like they were 1.57 times their body weight. At the same time the G-force fluctuated, SQ321 while on autopilot started to rise rapidly. In response, the autopilot pitched the aircraft downwards to return to 37,000 feet. At 3.49.32pm, one of the pilots turned on the seat-belt sign. Eight seconds later, the aircraft experienced a sudden drop in altitude, causing unbelted passengers and crew to be flung up. According to the preliminary investigation, the plane's vertical acceleration went back to positive 1.5G within four seconds, causing those who were flung up from their seats to fall back down. The plane dropped 178 feet, from 37,362 feet to 37,184 feet. As a result, some passengers and crew members were injured. For six past turbulence-related accidents, the TSIB released its final reports anywhere between 8½ months and nearly 2½ years after they happened. Most were made public within 19 months. ST has contacted the Ministry of Transport, which oversees the TSIB, for an update on the investigation. 'My life has changed forever' An Australian woman, Kerry Jordan, 53, who was aboard the flight with her husband, suffered a spinal injury and was left a quadriplegic. Jordan, a former high school dance and drama teacher, told ST she was discharged from hospital in April 2025 and was "only now beginning to confront my new reality". "My injury is so severe that I require assistance 24/7 just to be able to get out of bed and face the day confined to my wheelchair," she said. Jordan, who is permanently incapacitated, said she is now living in temporary accommodation because her home — a free-standing, two-storey house in Adelaide — could not be adapted to her current situation and would need to be completely rebuilt, at a cost of about A$2 million (S$1.66 million). She said SIA had provided compensation of US$170,000, per the Montreal Convention, but this was far from adequate for her needs. "My life has changed forever," she said. Singapore is a signatory to the 1999 Montreal Convention, and it has been incorporated into the law here. Under the Convention, claims of up to about US$170,000 can be made for death or bodily injuries arising from international aviation accidents, regardless of whether the airline was at fault. For claims exceeding this sum, the airline may avoid liability if it can prove that the damage was not due to negligence on its part, or was due solely to a third party. One issue that may arise is whether passengers heeded any warnings to belt up. Amelia Lim, a 44-year-old Malaysian public relations executive, said she was trying to fasten her seat belt when the turbulence happened. "I felt my seat drop and I flew off my seat," she told ST. "The next thing I knew, I was on the floor". She had been on holiday in Britain. She suffered a concussion and whiplash, and had lacerations, chest trauma and "bruises all over the place", she said. One year on, she suffers from frequent headaches and still requires physiotherapy. While she has continued to travel after the incident — mostly for work — she feels anxious and has "panic attacks the moment the plane jolts", she said. Before she flies, there is also "a lot more preparation, checking the weather", she added. She accepted US$10,000 in compensation from SIA. Lawyers prepare for a fight Some have also questioned if Flight SQ321 could have avoided the turbulence. Chicago-based aviation lawyer Floyd Wisner, whose firm is in discussions with SIA on behalf of his clients, including Jordan, noted that other carriers in the area at around the same time had flown around the developing thunderstorm. Based on ST's checks, for example, Swiss International Air Lines Flight LX181 from Bangkok to Zurich was flying in the same vicinity as SQ321 on May 21, 2024. The airline told ST in September 2024 that its pilots made "significant course deviations" on that day, using the onboard weather radar to navigate around severe weather conditions, resulting in several course adjustments. Peter Carter, a Brisbane-based aviation lawyer, said he is acting for 11 passengers from Australia, Singapore, Britain and New Zealand. His firm is also "investigating claims for other passengers who have no physical injuries but have major post-traumatic stress disorder". Damages for mental injury are not normally claimable unless they are linked to physical injury, Carter noted. London-based law firm Stewarts is also representing passengers on SQ321 spanning multiple jurisdictions. [[nid:685728]] With many passengers sustaining life-changing spinal cord and brain injuries, according to Stewarts, claims are expected to easily exceed the Montreal Convention first-tier limit, the firm said in a statement on May 17. "This is where the real combat between the parties will lie," it added. James Healy-Pratt, a London-based lawyer, said he is representing 10 passengers with injuries ranging from paralysis and spinal fractures to significant soft tissue and psychiatric injuries. Under the Montreal Convention, passengers can choose to bring claims in relevant jurisdictions, such as their country of residence, the destination country of the flight, or the country where the airline is based. There is also a two-year limitation period for claims to be brought against SIA. The airline on May 20 said: "SIA deeply apologises to all passengers and crew members for the traumatic experience on board Flight SQ321." It said it continues to co-operate fully with the relevant authorities in the investigation into the incident. "We are also firmly committed to providing the necessary support and assistance to the affected passengers." [[nid:685727]] This article was first published in The Straits Times. 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