An Australian man and his seriously injured wife who were onboard a Singapore Airlines flight that struck severe turbulence have returned home to Adelaide.
One man died and dozens were injured when flight SQ321 from London to Singapore hit sudden turbulence over Myanmar, forcing the Boeing 777-300ER plane to divert to Bangkok on May 21.
Keith Davis had sought a medical evacuation to Australia after his wife Kerry Jordan suffered a spinal injury when she was thrown into luggage doors and landed in the aisle.
Speaking outside the Royal Adelaide Hospital on Friday, Mr Davis said he was relieved to be back home after a “calamitous” experience and thanked the community for their support.
Mr Davis said the couple were repatriated to Adelaide via a LifeFlight air ambulance and were transferred to the Royal Adelaide Hospital to recover.
“We’re safely back home in Adelaide in the comfort of dreary late autumn days and the familiar twang of Aussie Strine,” he said.
“Thanks for the massive love and support that’s been coming our way.
“All the staff here at the Royal Adelaide Hospital — absolutely seamless arrival and the world-class care Kerry is receiving for her recovery.”
Ms Jordan does not have any sensation below her waist and her recovery may take months, Mr Davis said.
‘Kerry is still Kerry’
But he said Ms Jordan’s strength and courage over the past week had been “phenomenal”.
“Kerry just wants to send all her love out and ask that we all give her now the space and time she needs as she begins the delicate negotiations of her recovery,” he said.
“In terms of her condition … We’re talking not days, we’re not talking weeks, we’re talking months, if not beyond.
“There will be some tough days ahead but we’re just really thankful to be home and to have all that family and love around us.”
Mr Davis said he was just thankful to see the familiar red dirt of the Australian continent on his journey home.
“The first kicker for me personally was Port Headland. You could see that red dirt, it was like, ‘Woah’. You step out of the plane, border control and … everyone is kind of ocker, which is great,” he said.
“Coming into Adelaide … just to see the familiarity of the skyline and the lights, and you could place where we were coming over Glenelg, just stuff like that, you just go ‘Wow’, there’s nothing like it is it? Being home.
“For Kerry to be able to speak immediately to somebody rather than the ridiculous thing of me doing charades like I’m acting out stuff.”
Despite Ms Jordan’s physical trauma, Mr Davis said, “Kerry is still Kerry”.
“She is a very, very strong fighter and she is going to grab life by the throat and make the best of the situation.
“To be really frank, personally, I feel guilty that I’m able to stand here and walk around and talk to you guys,” he told the media.
Singapore Airlines apologised to the couple after Mr Davis told journalists they had no information and were “left in limbo” after their arrival in Bangkok.
Mr Davis said the airline “stepped up” following the complaint by providing customer care support and offering to fly family members to Bangkok.