Seoul: Thirteen passengers onboard a Korean Air flight bound for Taiwan experienced a harrowing ordeal when their Boeing aircraft suffered a sudden cabin pressure malfunction. The incident, which led to nosebleeds, severe ear pain, and other health issues, unfolded during a flight from Incheon International Airport near Seoul.
The Incident
Approximately 50 minutes after takeoff, pilots detected a fault in the aircraft’s cabin pressurization system. Within just ten minutes, the plane plummeted from its cruising altitude of 35,000 feet to under 10,000 feet. Oxygen masks deployed, and children onboard cried as the aircraft rapidly descended, causing panic among passengers.
Health Impact
The sudden pressure change triggered discomfort and health problems for some passengers. Two individuals suffered nosebleeds, while 15 others complained of ear pain and hyperventilation. Thankfully, there were no major injuries reported, but at least 13 passengers required medical attention after the pilot safely landed back at Incheon Airport.
Chaos Onboard
As the plane descended from over 30,000 feet to 9,000 feet, chaos ensued in the cabin. The malfunctioning pressurization system intensified discomfort, leaving passengers in distress. A Taiwanese passenger even captured the turbulence on video, describing how the plane dropped abruptly after meal service.
Emergency Landing
In response to the emergency, the pilot made a swift decision to turn the aircraft around. The Boeing 737 Max 8 safely landed at Incheon International Airport, where passengers awaited a replacement flight to Taiwan, departing 19 hours later than originally scheduled.
Korean Air has apologized for the incident and launched an investigation into the cause of the malfunction. Passengers can rest assured that necessary maintenance measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
