Mumbai-bound Ethiopian Airlines' Dreamliner makes emergency landing after mid-air depressurisation; 7 fall ill
Getty Images Representative Image. In what was another scare in the skies for the passengers, an Ethiopian Airlines flight headed to Mumbai from Addis Ababa was forced to make an emergency landing in the city at 1:42 am on Friday after a cabin depressurisation incident occurred mid-air, The Times of India reported Saturday.The incident took place aboard flight ET640, operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner (registration ET-AXS), while cruising at 33,000 feet over the Arabian Sea.
The aircraft experienced a loss of cabin pressure, prompting the pilots to execute a rapid descent to a safer altitude, according to data from Flightradar24. "On landing, seven passengers were attended to by the airport medical team for decompression-related symptoms, out of which one required hospitalisation," a source told TOI.
This is the second such incident reported in less than a week. On June 23, eleven people, including six crew members, felt unwell on board an Air India Boeing 777 flying from London Heathrow to Mumbai. The airline has launched a probe into that case.Cabin depressurisation refers to the loss of air pressure inside the aircraft cabin. Commercial aircraft fly at altitudes where natural oxygen levels are too low for humans to survive. To ensure safety, the cabin is sealed and pressurised using air from the engines, which is cooled and mixed with fresh oxygen to maintain breathable conditions. If this system fails due to a technical fault or structural issue, the air pressure inside the cabin drops suddenly, leading to potential symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, or loss of consciousness. In such events, oxygen masks automatically deploy from overhead compartments to help passengers breathe until the aircraft descends to a safer altitude. The latest emergency also comes at a time when India's aviation sector is already on alert following a fatal crash earlier this month involving an Air India Dreamliner aircraft. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has since intensified safety audits and unplanned inspections across airline fleets and airports.
(With inputs from TOI)
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. The bike taxi dreams of Rapido, Uber, and Ola just got a jolt. But they're winning public favour
Second only to L&T, but controversies may weaken this infra powerhouse's growth story
Punit Goenka reloads Zee with Bullet and OTT focus. Can he beat mighty rivals?
3 critical hurdles in India's quest for rare earth independence
HDB Financial may be cheaper than Bajaj Fin, but what about returns?
Why Sebi must give up veto power over market infra institutions
These large- and mid-cap stocks can give more than 23% return in 1 year, according to analysts
Are short-term headwinds from China an opportunity? 8 auto stocks: Time to be contrarian?
Buy, Sell or Hold: Motilal Oswal initiates coverage on Supreme Industries; UBS initiates coverage on PNB Housing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Air India flight returns to Mumbai due to burning smell inside cabin
Jun 29, 2025 07:07 AM IST An Air India flight from Mumbai to Chennai returned to Mumbai on Friday due to a burning smell in the cabin. Air India flight returns to Mumbai due to burning smell inside cabin 'The flight landed safely back in Mumbai, and an aircraft change was initiated,' said an Air India spokesperson. 'Our ground colleagues in Mumbai provided all necessary support to passengers to minimise the inconvenience caused by this unforeseen disruption.' Also Read: Chennai-bound Air India flight returns to Mumbai after 'burning smell' in cabin One of the passengers, Utsav Tiwari, tweeted on social media platform X that the flight, AI 639, was airborne around 11.50 PM, and after about 45 minutes of flying, the pilot announced that the aircraft would return to Mumbai due to a technical issue. 'We touched down safely around 12.47 am,' he said.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Overcrowding at forts raises safety concerns: Experts
1 2 3 Pune: Overcrowding at popular forts in the state during monsoon has become a matter of concern for the authorities. A large crowd had recently gathered at Harihar Fort in Nashik, sparking safety concerns. Video footage that surfaced on social media showed visitors navigating slippery stone steps with little room for movement. Some individuals were seen sitting on the edge of the gorge, ignoring safety warnings. A senior forest officer from Western Forest Division told TOI, "Restrictions have been imposed on visiting popular trekking destinations and waterfalls in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar forest ranges to prevent accidents during the monsoon." You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune "Entry to locations such as Harihar Fort, Anjaneri, and Brahmagiri has been prohibited after 2 pm to prevent any untoward incident till the monsoon ends. We decided to allow only 300 visitors in the first phase," added the officer. Similar overcrowding issues were reported from several other forts in the state since the first week of June. Experts have warned that the situation could worsen if timely measures are not implemented. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Honda SP160: Now with More Power and Style Honda Learn More Undo Umesh Zirpe, an experienced trekker, said, "The situation is becoming increasingly dangerous at each fort in the state. Deaths during such treks are on the rise every year." "We need an effective mechanism in place to control the menace of overcrowding. Otherwise, we are just waiting for another major tragedy to happen. Every year, around ten people die while trekking," added Zirpe, who is the founder and president of Gripremi Adventure Foundation. Forts such as Raigad, Pratapgad, Ajinkyatara in Satara, Torna, Rajgad, Tung, Sinhagad, Lohegad, Tikona, and others in Junnar tehsils are popular trekking destinations for amateur trekkers and visitors, particularly in the monsoon. The scenery near these forts during monsoon is extremely alluring, and hence, those who are not acquainted with the local conditions also organise treks without any preparation. As a result, they often get lost due to heavy rainfall and foggy conditions. Tejas Garge, the director of Maharashtra Archaeology and Museum, told TOI, "We are carrying out an analysis of the carrying capacity of each prominent fort listed as UNESCO heritage. Private consultant agencies will also be appointed for other forts across the state. Once we have this information, we will be able to decide how many visitors we can allow in a day." To monitor and ensure effective implementation, we have also planned to appoint security personnel from the state security agency at each fort. They will control the crowd and look after security and safety aspects at each location, he said. "We have planed to implement these measures with the help of state forest department and respective district and police authorities to prevent any untoward incident in future," Garge added. There are several trek trails in and around Lonavala, Tamhini Ghat section, near Bhimashankar in Ambegaon, and Naneghat in Junnar tehsil. Many people do not even carry basic safety equipment and clothes to safeguard themselves in the event of an emergency, said experts. Although the district administration prohibits entry every season, thousands of people go to forts and on trekking trails. "Poor enforcement of the order by the forest department and police is also one of the contributory factors behind overcrowding," said Keshav Tengle, a regular trekker. Pune: Overcrowding at popular forts in the state during monsoon has become a matter of concern for the authorities. A large crowd had recently gathered at Harihar Fort in Nashik, sparking safety concerns. Video footage that surfaced on social media showed visitors navigating slippery stone steps with little room for movement. Some individuals were seen sitting on the edge of the gorge, ignoring safety warnings. A senior forest officer from Western Forest Division told TOI, "Restrictions have been imposed on visiting popular trekking destinations and waterfalls in Nashik and Trimbakeshwar forest ranges to prevent accidents during the monsoon." "Entry to locations such as Harihar Fort, Anjaneri, and Brahmagiri has been prohibited after 2 pm to prevent any untoward incident till the monsoon ends. We decided to allow only 300 visitors in the first phase," added the officer. Similar overcrowding issues were reported from several other forts in the state since the first week of June. Experts have warned that the situation could worsen if timely measures are not implemented. Umesh Zirpe, an experienced trekker, said, "The situation is becoming increasingly dangerous at each fort in the state. Deaths during such treks are on the rise every year." "We need an effective mechanism in place to control the menace of overcrowding. Otherwise, we are just waiting for another major tragedy to happen. Every year, around ten people die while trekking," added Zirpe, who is the founder and president of Gripremi Adventure Foundation. Forts such as Raigad, Pratapgad, Ajinkyatara in Satara, Torna, Rajgad, Tung, Sinhagad, Lohegad, Tikona, and others in Junnar tehsils are popular trekking destinations for amateur trekkers and visitors, particularly in the monsoon. The scenery near these forts during monsoon is extremely alluring, and hence, those who are not acquainted with the local conditions also organise treks without any preparation. As a result, they often get lost due to heavy rainfall and foggy conditions. Tejas Garge, the director of Maharashtra Archaeology and Museum, told TOI, "We are carrying out an analysis of the carrying capacity of each prominent fort listed as UNESCO heritage. Private consultant agencies will also be appointed for other forts across the state. Once we have this information, we will be able to decide how many visitors we can allow in a day." To monitor and ensure effective implementation, we have also planned to appoint security personnel from the state security agency at each fort. They will control the crowd and look after security and safety aspects at each location, he said. "We have planed to implement these measures with the help of state forest department and respective district and police authorities to prevent any untoward incident in future," Garge added. There are several trek trails in and around Lonavala, Tamhini Ghat section, near Bhimashankar in Ambegaon, and Naneghat in Junnar tehsil. Many people do not even carry basic safety equipment and clothes to safeguard themselves in the event of an emergency, said experts. Although the district administration prohibits entry every season, thousands of people go to forts and on trekking trails. "Poor enforcement of the order by the forest department and police is also one of the contributory factors behind overcrowding," said Keshav Tengle, a regular trekker.
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Railways may allow more IDs for tatkal booking authentication
NEW DELHI: Indian Railways may allow use of more documents in addition to Aadhaar for authentication of their IRCTC account to book Tatkal tickets, reports Dipak Dash. Documents that are uploaded and saved in Digilocker such as PAN Card, driving licence and voter ID are likely to be included to the list for authentication of users, sources said. TOI has learnt that the railway ministry may come up with an update on Monday, a day before linking Aadhaar with IRCTC account of users come to effect. The matter was discussed at a review meeting chaired by minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday. Around 2.2 lakh passengers book Tatkal tickets through the IRCTC website and app daily. Railways has advised travelers to connect their Aadhaar numbers with their IRCTC accounts to prevent any disruptions from July 1 (Tuesday).
