Janice R. Andrews
On Saturday, a malfunction caused a Korean Air flight to plunge 26,900 feet in just 15 minutes, causing a serious in-flight emergency that sent 17 passengers to the hospital. After the Boeing 737 Max 8 rapidly descended due to warnings prompted by a pressurization system problem, the flight, KE189, was forced to make a landing return at Incheon International Airport.
About 50 minutes after takeoff, the event happened on a flight carrying 125 passengers bound for Taichung, Taiwan. A quick descent caused passengers to hyperventilate and experience ear ache; 17 of them needed medical assistance when they landed. After then, none of them suffered any serious injuries and were released.
Following investigations, the flight was continued the following morning with a different aircraft after returning to Incheon Airport about 7:38 PM local time. As the plane descended, passengers described scenes of fear, with children sobbing and air masks being used. Tseng, one of the passengers, said he was afraid the plane would crash.
In order to guarantee the security of next flights, Korean Air has initiated a comprehensive investigation into the pressurization system malfunction and is working with authorities. All impacted customers have received an apology from the airline, along with extensive support in the form of lodging and travel.
This incident comes after Korean Air has previously experienced minor aviation safety issues, such as an earlier-in-the-year collision with a Cathay Pacific aircraft. The airline is still dedicated to upholding strict safety regulations and quickly resolving any problems.
