Plane horror as Korean Air flight drops 27,000ft in mere minutes

A Korean Air flight travelling from Incheon International Airport in South Korea to Taichung International Airport in Taiwan was forced to U-turn and make an emergency landing after the plane dropped around 27,000 feet in the air within just minutes, Independent reported.

Nearly 50 minutes into the journey, the Boeing 737 Max 8 plane started losing altitude to around 8,000 feet from 35,000 feet in less than 15 minutes.

Due to this, 17 passengers were hospitalised after suffering minor injuries. According to the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, the passengers suffered eardrum pain and hyperventilation.

The sudden drop prompted oxygen marks to be released inside the cabin of the plane. Videos and pictures from inside the plane have been shared on social media in which babies can be heard crying and people can be seen wearing oxygen masks.

As per reports, a pressurisation fault was detected while the plane was passing above Jeju Island.

The passengers were taken to Taiwan the next morning on a different aircraft.

A Korean Air spokesperson has reportedly stated that the airline is conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the pressurisation system malfunction, intending to address any maintenance issues before returning the aircraft to service.