On Saturday, a major technical malfunction forced a Korean Air flight to be diverted as it dropped 26,900 feet in just 15 minutes, hospitalizing 17 people. The Korean Air flight KE189 was rerouted to the Incheon International Airport. The passengers safely made it to the intended destination of Taichung, Taiwan, the next day.
According to reports, the passengers suffered from ear pain and hyperventilation upon arrival in Taichung, Taiwan, requiring 17 of them to be hospitalized. The injured passengers were later discharged without any major injuries.
Despite the terrifying experience, no serious injuries are being reported. After Korean Air conducted an investigation into the incident, the flight was resumed the next morning with a different aircraft.
When the plane suddenly descended, passengers reported intense panic and fear. Children on board were weeping as oxygen masks were deployed during the aircraft's descent, according to a passenger. He said he thought that the aircraft would crash into the ground.
According to reports, a Korean Air spokesperson stated that the airline is investigating the pressurization system malfunction thoroughly and will be fixing any maintenance problems before bringing the aircraft back into service.
Earlier this month, after severe air turbulence occurred on a flight to London last month, Singapore Airlines extended compensation to all wounded customers. Severe turbulence over Myanmar caused the SQ321 flight from Bangkok to London to suddenly plummet 178 feet.