5 Jet Airways passengers taken to hospital with hearing problems after cabin pressure drops

The five passengers who were brought to the hospital suffered from barotrauma and will suffer deafness for some time.

One of the Jet Airways passengers who suffered nose and ear bleeding after the aircraft took off without the crew turning on a switch that controls cabin air pressure, has been admitted to a hospital in Mumbai for check-up, an official said.

A Jet Airways passenger aircraft had to turn back mid-air after cabin pressure dropped, leading to passengers experiencing headaches and suffering nose bleeds.(Reuters File Photo)

A middle-aged man was brought to Dr Balabhai Nanavati Hospital in Vile Parle by Jet Airways officials. Four others were also brought to the same hospital.

“He has been admitted for audiometry test and the hospital will issue a health statement after some time,” the hospital spokesperson said.

Dr Rajendra Patenkar of Nanavati Hospital said the five passengers who were brought to the hospital suffered from barotrauma and will suffer deafness for some time. They will be unable to travel by flight until their condition normalises.

The Mumbai-Jaipur flight was carrying 166 passengers and five crew members on board.

One passenger said the oxygen masks deployed but the crew gave no warning or instructions to passengers. 

“During climb, the crew forgot to select bleed switch due to which cabin pressurisation could not be maintained. As a result, oxygen masks got deployed,” the official at aviation regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), said.

The Boeing 737 aircraft returned to Mumbai due to “loss of cabin pressure” and the pilots have been taken off duty pending investigation, a Jet Airways spokesperson said.

Citing initial information, the official said few passengers have nose bleeding.

“Out of 166 passengers on board, 30 passengers are affected... some have nose bleeding, a few have ear bleeding and some are complaining of headache,” he added.

The official said all the affected passengers are being attended to by doctors at the airport.

(With PTI inputs)