10 Delta Passengers Treated After Plane Failed to Pressurize, Causing Bloody Noses and ‘Stabbing’ Ear Pain

Delta Flight 1203 had to divert back to Salt Lake City after the incident occurred on Sept. 15, leaving passengers in need of medical attention

• Delta Flight 1203 diverted back to Salt Lake City on Sunday, Sept. 15 after the plane was “unable to pressurize”

• The incident that occurred on a Boeing 737-900 aircraft left 10 passengers in need of medical attention

• Passengers recalled experiencing severe ear pain and bloody noses as a result of the pressurization issue

Multiple passengers were injured after a Delta plane heading to Portland experienced a cabin pressurization issue mid-flight.

Delta Flight 1203 returned to its departure destination of Salt Lake City after “the aircraft was unable to pressurize above 10,000 feet” on Sunday, Sept. 15, a spokesperson for the airline confirmed to PEOPLE.

The Boeing 737-900 aircraft was carrying 140 passengers and “oxygen masks did not deploy” during the incident. At least 10 individuals needed medical evaluation or treatment and were met by medics when the plane returned to Salt Lake City, according to the airline.

Related: Disorderly Passenger Ordered to Pay Airline Nearly $6,000 for Wasted Fuel After He Forced Flight to Divert

Passengers described the terrifying experience while speaking to KSL TV on Monday, Sept. 16.

“I looked over at my husband, and he had both of his hands over his ears, you know, kind of leaning forward,” passenger Caryn Allen recalled. “I looked about a row behind me, over on the other side of the aisle, and there was a gentleman that clearly had a very bad bloody nose, and people were trying to help him.”

Jaci Purser, another passenger on the flight, said, “I grabbed my ear, and I pulled my hand back, and there was blood on it.”

The outlet reports that Purser “said it felt like somebody was stabbing her in the ear” before she realized she was bleeding. She also felt her ear pop followed by a bubbling sensation.

Allen added, "they finally announced that we were going to head back to the airport and still didn’t say why,” after passengers felt the plane dip and start to circle the Great Salt Lake.

Related: Plane Collision Nearly Severs Tail of Aircraft From Body at Atlanta Airport: Video

A spokesperson for Delta noted that the airline covered transportation to the hospital for passengers.

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“We sincerely apologize to our customers for their experience on flight 1203 on Sept. 15,” the airline said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. “The flight crew followed procedures to return to SLC where our teams on the ground supported our customers with their immediate needs.”

They also noted that the aircraft “was taken out of service on the morning of Sept. 15 and went back into service on Sept. 16” after Delta technicians successfully fixed the pressurization issue.

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