An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner made an emergency landing in Mumbai early Friday. The plane was flying from Addis Ababa to Mumbai when the cabin lost pressure.
The aircraft landed safely at 1:42 am. The incident raised fresh concerns about Boeing aircraft safety.
A source told The Times of India, “On landing, seven passengers were attended to by the airport medical team for decompression-related symptoms, out of which one required hospitalisation.”
Boeing Aircraft Face More Scrutiny
Just a few days earlier, 11 people, including 6 crew members, felt sick on an Air India Boeing 777. That flight was from London to Mumbai. Many reported dizziness and nausea. Investigators are still checking the cause.
The Air India crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 241 passengers, has also put Boeing aircraft under more pressure.
What Went Wrong?
Flight ET640 was cruising over the Arabian Sea at 33,000 feet. Suddenly, the cabin lost pressure. The pilots quickly dropped to a lower altitude for safety.
Why Cabin Pressure Matters
Airplanes fly high, where oxygen is low. So cabins must be sealed and pressurised. This system pumps in oxygen and filtered air so passengers can breathe.
But when that system fails, oxygen levels drop fast. It becomes hard to breathe. Oxygen masks drop from above to help people until the plane descends.
