SIA flight from Guangzhou diverted to Batam due to bad weather
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The flight eventually departed Batam at 7.43pm and landed in Singapore at around 9.20pm, close to four hours behind schedule.
PHOTO: ST FILE
SINGAPORE – A Singapore Airlines flight (SIA) from Guangzhou, China, to Singapore had to be diverted to Batam on May 5 due to poor weather conditions.
Flight SQ851, carrying 301 passengers and 18 crew, landed safely at Hang Nadim International Airport at 5.41pm local time (6.41pm Singapore time), an SIA spokesperson said in a media reply on May 7.
Singapore’s National Environmental Agency had issued a heavy rain alert for the southern, eastern and central areas of Singapore at about 5.10pm on May 5.
National water agency PUB also issued alerts, warning the public of the risk of flash floods due to heavy rain in Tanjong Pagar and several areas in north-eastern Singapore at around that time, with a flash flood subsequently happening at the KPE slip road to Buangkok East Drive.
According to flight tracking website flightradar24, the flight was supposed to land in Singapore at 5.45pm, but was instead diverted to the nearby Indonesian island.
Passengers remained on board the Boeing 787-10 aircraft while in Batam, and light refreshments were served on request, SIA’s spokesperson said.
The flight subsequently departed Batam about two hours later, at 7.43pm, and landed in Singapore at around 9.20pm, close to four hours behind schedule.
“All necessary assistance was provided to affected customers, including rebooking of connecting flights and hotel accommodation in Singapore, where required,” the spokesperson said.
The carrier apologised to affected customers for the inconvenience caused, adding that the safety of the airline’s customers and crew is its priority.
