An Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner, flying from Addis Ababa to Mumbai, made an emergency landing early Friday morning after its cabin lost pressure mid-air. The incident happened around 1:42 am, when the aircraft safely landed in Mumbai. The situation has once again raised concerns about Boeing aircraft safety.

Seven Passengers Needed Medical Help

Soon after landing, the airport medical team attended to seven passengers who showed symptoms caused by decompression. A source close to the matter told The Times of India, “On landing, seven passengers were attended to by the airport medical team for decompression-related symptoms, out of which one required hospitalisation.”

This emergency comes just days after another Boeing-related incident. On June 23, 11 people—including six crew members—felt dizzy and nauseous on an Air India flight from Heathrow to Mumbai operated with a Boeing 777. Officials are still investigating the cause.

Pressurisation Failed Over Arabian Sea

According to sources, the problem occurred on flight ET640, when the aircraft was flying over the Arabian Sea. The Times of India reported that the plane was cruising at 33,000 feet when the cabin pressure dropped. In response, the pilots quickly brought the aircraft down to a safer altitude by performing a rapid descent.

Why Cabin Pressure Matters

To keep passengers safe at high altitudes, airplane cabins are sealed and pressurised. This system provides conditioned air and oxygen, as the air outside the aircraft has very low oxygen levels.

However, in rare situations, the cabin pressurisation system can fail. When this happens, the air and oxygen levels drop inside the plane. As a result, oxygen masks fall from the overhead compartments to help passengers breathe.

Ongoing Scrutiny of Boeing Planes

This latest event adds to the growing list of safety concerns involving Boeing aircraft. Earlier, a Boeing aircraft used by Air India crashed in Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers. Since then, aviation experts and passengers alike have been paying closer attention to Boeing’s safety record.