Passengers felt the plane plummet as the pilot was forced into a 10,000ft dive (Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Passengers were plunged into panic after a “rapid decompression” caused oxygen masks to drop from the ceiling in a horrifying mid-air incident. The United Airlines cruising at approximately 40,000 feet over , was forced into a swift 10,000-foot descent.
Terrified fliers on social media praised the exceptional poise of the cabin crew amidst the mayhem. At 7.45am local time, distress signals flickered in the prompting an urgent call to air traffic control and triggering the deployment of emergency masks.
One relieved praised the crew’s efforts on social media: “Yo United, your crew did an amazing job with this (rapid depressurization) and unexpected visit to Detroit. Seriously! Flight Attendant did a fabulous job, kept everyone calm.”
The compromised plane, originally bound for Chicago, was rerouted to Detroit, where passengers disembarked without any reported injuries. But this technical fault is just one of many in recent weeks, including the disastrous that resulted in the deaths of 179 people.
There have been a series of technical issues with commercial flights in recent weeks (Image: Getty)
This harrowing incident comes on the heels of last week’s evacuation debacle, where passengers had to escape a Delta Airlines jet via inflatable slides as the Minneapolis-bound flight aborted takeoff, resulting in numerous injuries, reports the
A Delta spokesperson revealed that a plane had experienced an engine problem, causing a significant delay. This incident occurred amidst a snowstorm in Atlanta, the world’s busiest airport, leading to widespread cancellations and delays.
However, officials have not confirmed if the freezing weather currently affecting parts of the US was the cause of the issue. The 201 passengers, along with two pilots and five flight attendants, were forced to evacuate the Boeing 757-300 using inflatable slides and were subsequently transported back to a concourse by bus.
Among the four injured passengers, one was taken to a , while three received treatment at the airport for minor injuries.
In a separate incident at Melbourne Airport, an Etihad plane carrying nearly 300 passengers was compelled to abort take-off after two wheels exploded. The Etihad Airways flight EY461, destined for Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, was just moments away from take-off when the incident occurred.
Yo your crew did an amazing job with this (rapid depressurization) and unexpected visit to Detroit. Seriously! Flight Attendant did a fabulous job, kept everyone calm.
— Chris Post (@ChrisMPost)
Video footage captured at Melbourne Airport shows the Boeing 787 jet surrounded by fire trucks, with foam being applied to the landing gear as a precautionary measure. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and all 289 passengers disembarked safely, returning to the terminal, according to the airline.
This incident resulted in both departure and arrival delays as the runway at the Australian airport was temporarily closed.