A pressurisation system malfunction prompted 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 travelled to Taichung International Airport (RMQ) in Taiwan.
But 50 minutes into the flight, the Boeing 737 Max 8 began to drop rapidly, and 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 ear ache. When the oxygen masks were released during the aircraft’s descent, a passenger reported to The Taipei Times that the children aboard the aircraft were weeping.
Another traveller 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 including nosebleeds.
“All affected by this incident” received an apology from Korean Air, along with the statement, “We are fully cooperating with all relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.” We have given the impacted travellers complete support, which includes lodging, food, and travel plans.
On June 23, morning, the flight was restarted using an other aircraft, almost 19 hours after the original scheduled departure time. According to the Taipei Times, travellers who arrived at Taichung International Airport expressed fear and stated they would postpone taking a flight for some time.
According to a representative for Korean Air, the airline is looking into the pressurisation system malfunction in detail and plans 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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