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Dozens injured after mid-air pressure drop on Ryanair flight

German police said 33 of 189 passengers were admitted to hospital, some bleeding from their ears - PA
German police said 33 of 189 passengers were admitted to hospital, some bleeding from their ears - PA

More than 30 Ryanair passengers had to be treated in hospital after a plane lost pressure in mid-air.

Passengers reported being in fear for their lives, and some suffered bleeding from the ears after the flight from Dublin to Zadar in Croatia had to make an emergency landing in Frankfurt.

Oxygen masks were released on Ryanair FR7312 on Friday when it lost cabin pressure and was diverted.

German police said 33 of 189 passengers were admitted to hospital, some bleeding from their ears. Some were still receiving treatment yesterday.

The passengers were given further reason to complain after struggling to find accommodation in Germany, and some had to sleep on “military style camp beds” with no blankets.

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BFU, Germany’s air accident investigator, said its team was heading to Hahn airport to secure the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder and to interview crew and passengers.

A log on flightradar24.com, which shows real-time aircraft flight information on a map, showed the flight descending from 37,000ft to 10,000 feet over seven minutes.

It is standard procedure in the event of in-flight depressurisation to descend rapidly to an altitude at which passengers and crew can breathe unassisted.

Truly thought I was a gonner today. Fizzling burning in the ears, huge pressure of the eyes. Just wanted the end to come fast

Elisha Reamon

One passenger, Minerva Galvan, a Spanish journalist, said on Twitter: “We lived very scary moment. We are abandoned at the airport.”

Elisha Reamon wrote: “Truly thought I was a gonner today. Fizzling burning in the ears, huge pressure of the eyes. Just wanted the end to come fast.”

An apologetic Ryanair said: “The aircraft landed normally and customers disembarked, where a small number received medical attention as a precaution. Customers were provided with refreshment vouchers and hotel accommodation was authorised, however there was a shortage of available accommodation.”