Korean Air is currently investigating a pressure problem that led to the diversion of one of its Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft on Saturday. The incident occurred when the plane, which was en route to Taiwan, had to return to Seoul's Incheon airport after experiencing a sudden depressurization about 50 minutes into the flight. The flight, which had 125 passengers on board, saw 17 passengers needing medical treatment upon landing. The airline has reported that none of the injuries were serious.
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The incident has prompted Korean Air to launch an investigation into the cause of the problem, with the airline stating that it is "fully cooperating with all relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident." The Boeing 737-8 is a variant of the Boeing 737 MAX, a model that has been under scrutiny following two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. These incidents led to the grounding of the aircraft worldwide for more than a year and a half.
The investigation into the Korean Air incident will likely focus on the aircraft's pressurization system, which is responsible for maintaining a safe and comfortable environment for passengers and crew during flight. A failure in this system can lead to rapid decompression, which can cause a range of health issues including ear pain, nosebleeds, and hypoxia.
In response to the incident, the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport has instructed the country's 11 airlines to inspect the pressurization systems in all 400 of their aircraft as a precautionary measure. The incident comes at a challenging time for Boeing, which has been grappling with a series of issues related to its 737 MAX aircraft. The company has been working to regain the trust of airlines and passengers following the grounding of the MAX fleet and subsequent investigations into the crashes. Korean Air has apologized to all those affected by the incident and has expressed its commitment to the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew. The airline has not provided a timeline for the completion of its investigation, but it is expected to be thorough and comprehensive, given the seriousness of the incident.