Woman’s Screaming Flight Video Sparks Debate As Viewers Question Panic Attack Claims

Woman’s Screaming Flight Video Sparks Debate As Viewers Question Panic Attack Claims
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A viral video showing a woman screaming during flight turbulence has divided the internet, with many accusing her of faking a panic attack, claims she strongly denies while citing past trauma from a severe aviation incident.

A woman who recorded herself screaming during turbulence on a flight has found herself at the centre of an online controversy, with many social media users accusing her of exaggerating or staging a panic attack for views. The woman, identified as Mia, a Korean national living in Singapore, went viral after posting a TikTok video capturing her reaction as the aircraft shook mid-air. Below is the video, where you can find her reaction:
The clip quickly spread across social media, drawing millions of views and triggering heated discussion. Several viewers questioned the authenticity of her fear, pointing out that she appeared calm enough to set up her phone and record herself. Some users remarked that panic attacks often leave people unable to speak or function, arguing that her behaviour did not align with their personal experiences of anxiety.
In the video, Mia described herself as an anxious flyer and explained that she typically takes anxiety medication before boarding a plane. On this particular journey, she said she skipped the medication, calling it a serious mistake. As turbulence intensified, she appeared visibly distressed, gripping her seat and narrating her fear to the camera before screaming as the aircraft shook. Once the turbulence eased, she was seen crying.
Despite the criticism, Mia has firmly denied accusations that the episode was staged. Responding to the backlash, she said her reaction was rooted in trauma from a previous flight incident. According to her, she was a passenger on Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 in 2024, which encountered severe turbulence that resulted in one death and left more than 140 people injured. Mia said she suffered a spinal fracture during that incident after being thrown while in the aircraft restroom.
To support her claims, she shared photographs of her spinal X-rays along with hospital images, stating that the experience left her with a deep fear of flying. She urged viewers not to dismiss or belittle anxiety simply because it does not look the same for everyone, stressing that fear can manifest differently from person to person.
Mia also clarified that she edited and uploaded the original video because she initially found it humorous, but acknowledged that cutting out large portions of the footage may have contributed to doubts about its authenticity. She said she did not expect the clip to be interpreted as an attempt to mislead viewers and expressed regret that her experience had been invalidated by strangers online.
The video continues to circulate widely, fueling broader conversations about mental health, online judgment, and the pressures of sharing personal experiences on social media platforms.
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