Ethiopian Airlines Malfunction Puts 300 Lives at Risk Mid-Air; Emergency Landing in Mumbai

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): Ethiopian Airlines flight number ET640 coming from Addis Ababa to Mumbai developed a serious technical snag late Friday night. The air pressure in the cabin of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft suddenly decreased during the flight, due to which seven passengers fell ill. The plane made an emergency landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at 1:55 am. In this incident, one passenger has been admitted to the hospital in critical condition. There were about 300 passengers on board the plane.

According to the information, while the plane was flying at an altitude of 33,000 feet over the Arabian Sea, the cabin pressure suddenly decreased. Due to this, the plane had to be brought down rapidly. The passengers complained of difficulty in breathing and dizziness. The pilot immediately declared an emergency and landed the plane safely in Mumbai.

Sources said there were 300 passengers and 11 crew members on board the plane. Seven passengers who fell ill were given immediate medical aid at the airport, one of whom was taken to hospital as his condition was critical. The other six passengers were given first aid at the airport itself.

The incident comes just days after 11 passengers, including six crew members, experienced dizziness and nausea on an Air India Heathrow-Mumbai flight on June 23. The causes of the illness in both incidents are being investigated.