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Climate change is making turbulence worse, although deaths are still rare, experts say
CBC News ^ | May 21, 2024 | Natalie Stechyson

Posted on 05/21/2024 6:12:21 PM PDT by jerod

Most people who have flown have likely felt their stomach drop when the "fasten seatbelt" sign switches on during a bumpy flight, but turbulence can be severe and experts warn it's becoming more common.

"Turbulence fatalities on commercial flights are fortunately very rare, but have sadly increased by one today," Paul Williams, a professor of atmospheric science at the University of Reading, U.K., told CBC News in an email interview.

On Tuesday, one passenger was killed and 30 were injured after a Singapore Airlines flight from London hit severe turbulence en route, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said. A passenger on board the flight told Reuters the plane dropped dramatically, launching everyone not wearing a seatbelt into the ceiling.

A 73-year-old British man died during the incident, likely due to a heart attack, Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Kittipong Kittikachorn told a news conference. Seven people were critically injured with head injuries.

Turbulence — a sudden, violent shift in air flow — is the most common cause of airline accidents involving injuries, according to a 2021 study by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). From 2009 through 2018, the U.S. agency found that turbulence accounted for more than a third of reported airline accidents and most resulted in one or more serious injuries.

And it's likely only going to get worse due to climate change, climate and aviation experts have noted. There is strong evidence that turbulence is increasing because of climate change, Williams said, citing his own research that severe clear-air turbulence in the North Atlantic has increased by 55 per cent since 1979.

"Our latest future projections indicate a doubling or tripling of severe turbulence in the jet streams in the coming decades, if the climate continues to change as we expect," he said...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
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Well... This is very convenient indeed for the airline operator and manufacturer... All those passengers are now SOL for compensation because it was the fault of 'climate change', not the airline, or the plane. LOL
1 posted on 05/21/2024 6:12:21 PM PDT by jerod
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To: jerod

If only we’d taxed ourselves tens of trillions, lived in caves, ate bugs and wore animal skins, this death wouldn’t have happened. Of course, we wouldn’t have invented aircraft and mastered thermodynamics and metallurgy to build jet engines, either.

But there’s no amount of money too great to save one life.


2 posted on 05/21/2024 6:16:07 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (“When exposing a crime is treated like a crime, you are being ruled by criminals” – Edward Snowden)
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To: jerod

“Clear air turbulence” is a convenient cover for possible pilot error. It doesn’t show up on radar, it is invisible and unpredictable. The “climate change” rubbish is just for the sake of the narrative.


3 posted on 05/21/2024 6:17:50 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard ( Resist the narrative. )
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To: jerod

Totally ridiculous.


4 posted on 05/21/2024 6:18:18 PM PDT by Williams (Stop Tolerating The Intolerant)
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To: jerod
Complete B.S.

Anything "bad" happens, the B.S. merchants link it to "climate change".

5 posted on 05/21/2024 6:18:32 PM PDT by marktwain (The Republic is at risk. Resistance to the Democratic Party is Resistance to Tyranny. )
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To: jerod
Keep throwing offal against the wall and see what sticks.

6 posted on 05/21/2024 6:18:47 PM PDT by Governor Dinwiddie (LORD, grant thy people grace to withstand the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil.)
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To: jerod

(((YAWN)))) all this turbulence is caused by the gas rising up off of Capitol Hill.


7 posted on 05/21/2024 6:20:08 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (When did WE decide to make America a UN 5-Star Asylum Paradise for Socialist losers?)
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To: marktwain

Agreed, with everyone else here - this is total and complete B.S.


8 posted on 05/21/2024 6:20:27 PM PDT by oldplayer
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To: jerod

Oh for crying out loud! These people are NUTS!


9 posted on 05/21/2024 6:23:29 PM PDT by Flaming Conservative ((Pray without ceasing)
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To: jerod

If unnamed experts somewhere, said it, it must be true.


10 posted on 05/21/2024 6:24:37 PM PDT by The_Media_never_lie (e)
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To: jerod

Climate change is responsible for everything, even chickens mating with pigs.


11 posted on 05/21/2024 6:24:55 PM PDT by wildcard_redneck (He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither.)
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To: jerod
And it's likely only going to get worse due to climate change, climate and aviation experts have noted.

B.S. Climate Change is causing fruit and nuts to grow in Spring and Summer. Except now we've got fruits and nuts everywhere, especially in government and media. Maybe Biden will legislate air bags be installed in all aircraft, in and around every seat.

12 posted on 05/21/2024 6:29:16 PM PDT by roadcat
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To: jerod

The DEI pilots and air traffic controllers have nothing to do with it. 🤡


13 posted on 05/21/2024 6:33:14 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████ ████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
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To: jerod
Climate Change to Blame for Low Tire Pressure

Climate Change to Blame for Bad Breath


14 posted on 05/21/2024 6:35:39 PM PDT by kinsman redeemer (The real enemy seeks to devour what is good. )
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To: jerod

False.


15 posted on 05/21/2024 6:41:35 PM PDT by GrumpyOldGuy
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To: jerod

This is lie inflation, when the lies get stacked up too many per day.


16 posted on 05/21/2024 6:53:40 PM PDT by lurk (u)
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To: jerod
Professor Paul D Williams

His claims to fame:

"I am also an award-winning science communicator, regularly giving public lectures, speaking at science festivals such as New Scientist Live, debating climate change sceptics, and appearing in the media (see playlist of TV interviews above). I have been quoted on the front page of the New York Times, I have explained the Coriolis force in The Times, and Chelsea Clinton and Cher have tweeted about my research. I am a consultant to Guinness World Records, advising on extreme atmospheric events for the famous series of best-selling annual reference books."

17 posted on 05/21/2024 7:08:15 PM PDT by MV=PY (The Magic Question: Who's paying for it?)
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To: jerod
experts say

You can pretty much stop reading right there.

18 posted on 05/21/2024 7:08:23 PM PDT by Sicon ("All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others." - G. Orwell>)
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To: The_Media_never_lie

Unnamed experts, and unspecified evidence.


19 posted on 05/21/2024 7:09:11 PM PDT by c-five
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To: jerod

I was waiting for this head.


20 posted on 05/21/2024 7:16:57 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
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