Rapid fall: Korea Air's Boeing 737 Max drops almost 27,000ft in 15 minutes injuring 17 people

A Korean Air flight KE189 experienced a severe fault in its pressurisation system, causing the Boeing 737 Max 8 to rapidly descend 26,900 feet in just 15 minutes on Saturday, reported The Independent.
The incident occurred nearly 50 minutes into the flight, which was scheduled to fly from Incheon International Airport to Taiwan at around 4.45 pm local time on 22 June.As a result of the emergency, the flight circled back to Incheon Airport, landing at 7.38 pm.
Passengers onboard the flight reported experiencing hyperventilation and ear pain during the sudden descent, with oxygen masks being deployed and children crying. One passenger, identified as Tseng by The Taipei Times, expressed his fear that the plane might hit the ground. Despite the frightening ordeal, there were no major injuries reported among the 125 passengers onboard. However, 17 people required hospitalisation upon landing in Taichung, Taiwan.
Following the incident, Korean Air conducted investigations and resumed the flight the next morning with a different aircraft. The airline is currently conducting a thorough investigation to determine the cause of the pressurisation system malfunction and intends to address any maintenance issues before returning the aircraft to service.
This incident follows a series of other events involving Korean Air and other airlines. Earlier this year, a Korean Airlines plane came into contact with a Cathay Pacific Airways aircraft at New Chitose Airport in Japan, although there were no injuries reported. Last year, Korean Air announced that it would be measuring the average weight of passengers and their carry-on items for flight safety, following a similar move by Air New Zealand.
Korean Air has apologised to all those affected by the incident and stated that they are fully cooperating with all relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. The airline has also provided comprehensive support to affected passengers, including accommodation, meals, and transportation arrangements.