“I fractured my spine”— Singapore Influencer Clarifies Panic Attack Stems from Previous Extreme Turbulence Incident

A now-viral TikTok video showing a woman screaming during turbulence on a flight has faced debate online about anxiety, performative behaviour and how fear manifests differently for different people. Following widespread criticism, the woman later shared that her reaction was shaped by a traumatic experience on a previous flight in 2024.

The woman, known as Mia and posting under the handle @_youmia is of South Korean descent, now living in Singapore. She first went viral after uploading what she described as a casual “what I ate on a plane” vlog. The video showed her enjoying soy milk, a fruit platter, bread with vegan butter and nasi lemak served in a business class flight. As the flight progressed, visible turbulence unsettled her, culminating in loud screams that quickly became the clip’s most talked-about moment.

Meal Vlog, Panic Attack and Cruel Backlash

In the video, Mia openly narrated her anxiety, noting that she usually takes medication before flying but had skipped it on this trip. She explained that she struggles to eat when the plane feels unstable and described gripping her seat when turbulence worsened.

At one point, she mentioned that when her pinky finger was raised, it meant she was “really scared.”

The scream drew millions of views and thousands of comments within days. Some viewers accused her of exaggerating or staging the panic attack, pointing out that she appeared to look at the camera before screaming. Others questioned why she was filming at all if she was genuinely anxious.

Comments ranged from sarcastic remarks about “attention-seeking” to complaints that her reaction would have unsettled other passengers. At the same time, some users urged others to show more compassion, noting that fear does not look the same for everyone.

A Follow-up Explanation

In a subsequent video, Mia addressed the backlash directly, apologising to fellow passengers and stressing that her reaction was real. She explained that her fear of flying stems from being a passenger on a previous in May 2024. The incident left a lasting psychological and physical impact on her.

According to Mia, she was in the aircraft bathroom when severe turbulence struck that flight, causing her to fracture her spine. She said she believed the plane was going down and only later understood it as turbulence. To support her account, she shared images of X-rays and hospitalisation from that period.

She acknowledged that heavy editing of her original vlog may have contributed to scepticism. She clarified that she initially posted it thinking it was humorous. Only later did she realise that too much context had been removed.

Remembering the Incident

A Boeing 777-312ER travelling from London Heathrow to Singapore Changi on 21 May 2024, encountered extreme turbulence at around 37,000 feet over the Irrawaddy Basin in Myanmar. The aircraft was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members.

The turbulence struck shortly after the seatbelt sign was turned on, violently shaking the cabin and throwing unrestrained passengers into the ceiling. One 73-year-old British passenger died, and more than 100 people were injured. The aircraft made an emergency landing in Bangkok.

Fear, Judgement and Online Discourse

Mia has since urged viewers not to be “so quick to judge.” She emphasised that anxiety disorders are real and can surface unexpectedly. While some online remain unconvinced, others shared messages of support. Comments called for greater understanding of mental health struggles.

As the video circulates, the episode is a reminder of the need for empathy and understanding, especially for those struggling seemingly silently from past experiences.

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