Geoffrey Kitchen: ‘Popular and kind’ musical theatre director died on Singapore Airlines flight on ‘last big holiday’ with spouse | EUROtoday

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A much-loved musical theatre director died on a Singapore Airlines flight that hit extreme turbulence whereas his household stated he was on his “last big holiday” along with his spouse.

Father-of-two Geoffrey Kitchen has been named because the 73-year-old Briton who died on board the Boeing 777-300ER airplane, which was pressured to make an emergency touchdown in Bangkok en path to Singapore from London on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport stated a British man suffered a suspected coronary heart assault on the plane. It was carrying 211 passengers – together with 47 from the UK – and 18 crew. Seven persons are in a crucial situation in hospital and dozens extra are injured.

Singapore Airlines stated the flight encountered “sudden extreme turbulence” over Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Basin at 37,000 toes about 10 hours after departure and the pilot declared a medical emergency, with flight monitoring information displaying the airplane plummeted 6,000 toes in minutes.

As particulars of the terrifying flight proceed to emerge, tributes have been flooding in for Kitchen, who’s from Thornbury, outdoors Bristol.

His spouse was rushed to hospital after the incident, in line with Airports of Thailand normal supervisor Kittipong Kittikachorn.

The Thornbury Musical Theatre Group, the place Kitchen devoted a lot of his time having labored there for 35 years and been its director since 2020, praised him as a “gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity”.

Stephen Kitchen, Kitchen’s first cousin, stated he and his spouse, Linda, had been trying ahead to their six-week vacation collectively.

Speaking from his residence in Chepstow, he instructed The Independent: “We were a bit shocked, I still am. I’m trying to touch base with Linda. I sent a message.

“They were looking forward to the holiday. They are travellers, they do quite a lot of these things, quite adventurous. It was sort of going to be their last big holiday. It would have been nice to see them before they went. It was a tour around Asia.”

Stephen stated he was because of meet the pair for lunch on the White Hart pub in Littleton-upon-Severn earlier than they flew out for his or her vacation – however because of visa points that wanted sorting it was known as off.

Asked how he’d keep in mind his first cousin, Stephen stated: “With fond memories, he is musical, I’m musical so we are musicals orientated but I know he was very popular in the Thornbury musical group, just a lovely guy.”

Only final week, Kitchen, who was a retired insurance coverage skilled, had been serving to preparations for the group’s upcoming present, Journey Back To The Future, which neighbour and co-member Steve Dimond stated would now be devoted to him.

Mr Dimond, who has identified Kitchen for 11 years, instructed The Independent: “We will continue with the next show which will likely be done in his name.

“I’m really shocked, he’ll be badly missed. He was a kind man who in recent years, after retirement, had loved the musical theatre.”

Mr Kitchen had lately labored exhausting campaigning for the reopening of the city’s Armstrong Hall, and he was a lot revered locally.

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The flight monitoring service stated information despatched from the plane confirmed a “rapid change in vertical rate, consistent with a sudden turbulence event”, including that there have been “some severe” thunderstorms within the space on the time.

Dzafran Azmir, 28, who was on the flight, stated the airplane suffered a “very dramatic drop”, which means folks not sporting a seatbelt have been “launched immediately into the ceiling”.

Images posted on social media confirmed harm to the ceiling of the cabin, and meals, cutlery and different particles strewn on the ground after the incident.

Asked about Kitchen, Mr Dimond added: “A really nice bloke, loved live music and the theatre. I can remember him dressed as a sultan in the panto this year, funny, good singer, a nice bloke. Very sociable.”

In a tribute paid on Tuesday night time, the Thornbury Musical Theatre Group stated: “It is with a heavy heart that we learn of the devastating news of the passing of our esteemed colleague and friend Geoff Kitchen in the recent Singapore Air Incident.

“Geoff was always a gentleman with the utmost honesty and integrity and always did what was right for the group.

“His commitment to TMTG was unquestionable and he has served the group and the local community of Thornbury for over 35 years, holding various offices within the group, including chairman, treasurer and most recently secretary.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and the family at this difficult time, and we ask that you respect their privacy.”

A UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson stated it was supporting the household of the passenger and was in touch with native authorities.