Ryanair emergency landing raises oxygen mask concerns
Sixteen air passengers were taken to hospital last night with ear problems after a Ryanair flight from Bristol to Barcelona was forced to make an emergency landing in France.
Passengers “feared for their livesâ€, according to arctic explorer Pen Hadow who was on the flight with his family, as the plane lost altitude rapidly and oxygen masks were deployed.
Mr Hadow claimed that as oxygen masks dropped, it was clear there were some that were not inflating but chief executive Micheal O’Leary refuted this claim on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme this morning.
Hadow told The Telegraph: “I would say some people thought we were going to die – that is how frightening it was.†Having heard a “loud and unnerving sound†as cabin pressure dropped, he added: “ I knew it wasn’t an engine problem. There was a sudden drop in temperature and a rush of cold air. You think to yourself: God, is there a hole in the aircraft? It actually felt like someone had opened a door at the back of the aircraft. It was incredibly cold.â€
He added: “The next thing the oxygen masks were dropping. My highest priority was to get a mask onto my son who was sitting next to me in a bemused and frightened state. Mine wasn’t filling up with oxygen and neither was my son’s. He was hyperventilating. I looked at the lady on my left and hers hadn’t filled up either. From where I was sitting I could see about 20 masks and only a few of them were inflating. It was extremely variable as to who got oxygen in their masks.”
But O’Leary said: “The oxygen masks were working and the correct safety procedures were followed.”
A Ryanair spokesman said: “Ryanair confirms that the FR9336 from Bristol airport to Barcelona Girona airport on the evening of August 25 experienced an inflight depressurisation incident which caused the oxygen masks on board to deploy. As a safety precaution the captain descended and diverted the aircraft to Limoges Airport at approximately 23.30 local French time.
“All 168 passengers disembarked safely upon landing. A total of 16 passengers together with five accompanying family members have transferred, at their request, to a local hospital complaining of ear ache.â€
By Dinah Hatch
Dinah
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