Thirty passengers on a Jet Airways flight received medical treatment on Thursday morning after cabin crew forgot to switch on the pressurisation system.
The passengers were treated for nosebleeds and headaches having boarded flight 9W697 to travel from Mumbai to Jaipur.
Some of them took to social media to show the situation on board the flight with the oxygen masks being used.
Panic situation due to technical fault in @jetairways 9W 0697 going from Mumbai to Jaipur. Flt return back to Mumbai after 45 mts. All passengers are safe including me. pic.twitter.com/lnOaFbcaps
— Darshak Hathi (@DarshakHathi) September 20, 2018
Satish Nair said on Twitter that he suffered bleeding from the nose and claimed that passenger safety was "completely ignored".
@jetairways Flight 9W 697 made an emergency landing back in Mumbai. Airplane lost pressure immediately after taking off...scores of passengers including me bleeding from nose....no staff to help...no announcement on board to wear the oxygen mask.passengersafety completelyignored pic.twitter.com/vO9O95aMCP
— Satish Nair (@satishnairk) September 20, 2018
Lalit Gupta, joint director general of India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation, told local media that the crew "forgot to select the bleed switch due to which the cabin pressure could not be maintained".
He added that oxygen masks were deployed and affected passengers were attended to by doctors at the airport.
MoCA has taken cognizance of the incident in flight 9W 697 earlier today and has requested DGCA to file its report immediately on the issue. The crew is being derostered. Of the 166 people on board, 30 were affected and have been given treatment.
— MoCA_GoI (@MoCA_GoI) September 20, 2018
Jet Airways released a statement saying that the plane "made an air turn due to loss in cabin pressure" and "landed normally in Mumbai". It added: "All guests were deplaned safely and taken to the terminal. First aid was administered to few guests who complained of ear pain, bleeding nose etc.
"The flight's cockpit crew has been taken off scheduled duties pending investigation. The airline is making alternative flight arrangements for guests on this flight. Jet Airways regrets the inconvenience caused to its guests."
Flightradar24's flight map showed the plane reached an altitude of 11,000 feet before turning back to the airport.
Jet Airways flight #9W697 from Mumbai to Jaipur stopped climbing at 11.000 feet and returned to Mumbai.
— Flightradar24 (@flightradar24) September 20, 2018
According to media reports several passengers suffered nose bleed and headaches when the cabin crew forgot to pressurise cabin during take-off.
https://t.co/Uz6dYMn3t2 pic.twitter.com/wojylSbK3i
Jet Airways later said that 144 of the original 166 passengers travelled to Jaipur on an alternative flight provided by the airline. It said 17 of them wished to travel at another point in time.
"Five guests who were referred to a hospital for additional medical check-up accompanied by the Jet Airways’ Care team have since been released, post medical examination," Jet said.
"The airline will continue to offer necessary medical care and attention to the concerned guests as required. Jet Airways is also extending full cooperation to the DGCA for the ongoing investigation of the event."
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