A pressurization system malfunction caused a Korean Air airliner to perform an emergency U-turn and land after it had dropped more than 25,000 feet. The Independent claims that on June 22, 2024, at roughly 16:45 local time, flight KE189 took off from Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN) and traveled to Taichung International Airport (RMQ) in Taiwan.
Rapid Descent and Passenger Panic
But 50 minutes into the flight, the Boeing 737 Max 8 began to drop rapidly. In approximately 15 minutes, it dropped about 26,900 feet. FL360aero claims that during the aircraft’s flight over Jeju Island, the message “pressure system (pressure control function of the aircraft) abnormality” was flashed.
As a result, oxygen masks were deployed inside the aircraft cabin due to multiple passengers experiencing hyperventilation and earache. When the oxygen masks were released during the aircraft’s descent, a passenger reported to The Taipei Times. According to him, the children aboard the aircraft were weeping.
Another traveler reported feeling uneasy since the flight attendants were still seated and the aircraft appeared to be lingering in midair. 17 individuals were examined in medical facilities upon arrival in Taichung, Taiwan, and were released without suffering serious injuries.
13 sent to hospital after Korean Air plane apparently dropped from 35,000 feet to 9,000 feet within 10 minutes https://t.co/gJMHecgQvD pic.twitter.com/oRwJmZc45H
— Mothership (@MothershipSG) June 24, 2024
Korean Air’s Response and Investigation
“All affected by this incident” received an apology from Korean Air. They also stated, “We are fully cooperating with all relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident”. We have given the impacted travelers complete support, which includes lodging, food, and travel plans.
On June 23, morning, the flight was restarted using another aircraft, almost 19 hours after the original scheduled departure time. According to the Taipei Times, travelers who arrived at Taichung International Airport expressed fear and stated they would postpone taking a trip for some time.
According to a representative for Korean Air, the airline is looking into the pressurization system malfunction in detail. They are also planning to fix any maintenance problems before bringing the aircraft back into operation. A series of mishaps affecting Boeing’s aircraft have put tremendous pressure on the aircraft that malfunctioned during the voyage.
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