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Timeline Of Korean Air's 8-kilometer Descent Over A Span Of 15 Minutes

On Saturday (22/6), Korean Air flight KE189 encountered intense turbulence during its journey from Incheon, South Korea, to Taichung, Taiwan. The incident led to injuries sustained by a total of 13 passengers.

The initial departure of KE189 from Incheon Airport was reported by JoongAng Daily newspaper to have taken place at approximately 4.45pm local time, with 125 passengers on board.

Around 50 minutes after takeoff, an unexpected warning emerged regarding a malfunction in the aircraft's pressure system. This system is responsible for maintaining the appropriate air pressure level within the aircraft.

Flightradar24's online flight monitoring system documented the Boeing 737-8 descending 8,000 meters within a span of 15 minutes before eventually stabilizing and touching down at Incheon Airport at 7:38 pm local time. A total of fifteen individuals reported experiencing hyperventilation or ear pain during the landing procedure, while an additional thirteen passengers were promptly taken to the hospital due to injuries sustained.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of South Korea has confirmed that there were no significant injuries reported in the incident.

"We deeply regret any inconvenience experienced by the passengers aboard the flight. Our utmost priority is to mitigate any inconveniences arising from travel delays, and we are committed to offering accommodation," stated a representative from Korean Air.

Eventually, the flight was redirected on the following day, Sunday (23/6), and reached its destination at approximately 12.24 Taiwan Time using an alternative aircraft. Several passengers shared their harrowing experiences during the turbulence incident.

Several passengers have reported feeling traumatized and have decided to refrain from air travel for the foreseeable future.

One of the passengers on flight KE189, Hsu, mentioned that she sensed an issue right before the turbulence occurred as the flight attendants were still seated during normal flight operations.

Hsu recounted that both she and her daughter had to use oxygen masks when the aircraft suddenly dropped in altitude. She also mentioned suffering from ear pain and headaches due to the incident.

Tag: Korean Air's