'Need months to fully recover': 5 among Malaysian family of 7 still in hospital after getting injured on SQ321

The Malaysian family of seven had joined a tour group on a 10-day UK trip and decided to extend their stay by five days.

Little did they expect that they would end up getting injured on their return flight — the Singapore-bound SQ321, which suffered severe turbulence on May 21 and had to make an emergency landing in Bangkok.  

Now, five of the family members are still warded at the Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital in the Thai capital. The other two were treated at a different hospital and have since been discharged. 

Eva Khoo, a family member who was not on the flight and flew to Bangkok after the incident, shared updates about their condition in a Facebook post on Thursday (May 23).

She said four of her family members were in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), including her aunt and her brother's father-in-law.

In a second Facebook post, she revealed that her sister-in-law, who is two months pregnant, suffered spinal injuries and had to face the dilemma of saving herself or her baby. 

She was told by Thai doctors that she had to undergo surgery on her spine, which could potentially harm her foetus. 

"[She] refuses to take any medication and injection because she doesn't want to harm the baby," wrote Khoo. 

In an interview with 8world, she said her younger brother and sister-in-law were emotional as they explored their options. The couple want many kids and this is their second child.

After consulting several doctors, one in Malaysia told them of a procedure — inserting a stent into the spine — that would minimise the risk of harm to the foetus. 

According to a Lianhe Zaobao report, Khoo's sister-in-law agreed to undergo surgery on Friday, after doctors told her that the risk of harming her baby could be controlled and that delaying surgery could affect the mobility of her limbs. 

Brother's vision affected

Khoo told 8world that her brother was discharged from the ICU on Thursday, but is still unable to turn his neck. 

In her first Facebook post, Khoo wrote that when the turbulence hit the plane, he was flung up from his seat and struck the ceiling. 

His vision has also been affected. Bright colours appear pale to him, said Khoo. 

His father-in-law, who was in the toilet during the incident, suffered a neck fracture and underwent emergency surgery. Khoo wrote in her second Facebook post that he "still can't move or get down the bed" and may need to "stay one more week".

Besides their physical injuries, Khoo told 8world she is worried that her family members might suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). 

"It was a really terrible and traumatic experience for them," she wrote on Facebook.

"Even if they can fly back home, they still need months to fully heal and recover, and they might need physiotherapy." 

20 people from flight SQ321 still in ICU: Thai hospital 

Adinun Kittiratanapaibool, director of Bangkok’s Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital told reporters on Thursday that 20 people who were on board flight SQ321 remain in intensive care, reported Reuters. 

However, there are no life-threatening cases. 

Of the 41 people from the flight who are undergoing treatment, 22 have spinal cord injuries, six sustained injuries to their brain and skull, while 13 have bone, muscle and other injuries.

The oldest patient is 83, while the youngest is two. Ten British, nine Australians, seven Malaysians and four Filipinos were among the 41 people.

A 73-year-old British man died and 104 people were injured on the flight, which was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members.

ALSO READ: SIA relief flight carrying passengers and crew of SQ321 arrives in Singapore

claudiatan@asiaone.com