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A major malfunction forced a Korean Air flight to descend suddenly at 26,900 feet (8,000 meters) in just 15 minutes, leaving 17 passengers in need of hospital treatment.
The mid-air emergency last Saturday caused the Taiwan-bound Boeing 737 Max 8 to be diverted back to Korea, reports Independent newspaper.
Almost 50 minutes after takeoff from Incheon International Airport, a failure in the pressurization system of Korean Air flight KE189 triggered alarms on the plane.
According to online flight tracker Flightradar24, the plane plummeted from 26,900 feet in just 15 minutes.
In-flight social media video shows oxygen masks being deployed in the cabin.
Passengers told Korean and Taiwanese media of scenes of distress and panic on board, with children crying during the steep descent.
Some travelers report being affected by hyperventilation and earaches.
The plane was diverted back to Incheon and landed safely more than three years after takeoff.
Korean Air said 17 passengers needed treatment for minor injuries at a hospital and were later discharged.
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The flight resumed the next day with a different aircraft while Korean Air began an investigation into the incident.
Earlier this month, Singapore Airlines offered to pay tens of thousands of dollars in compensation to passengers injured in deadly turbulence.
At least one person was killed and dozens injured when Flight SQ321 from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence over Myanmar on May 20.
The plane was carrying 211 passengers, including 56 Australians, when it was forced to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, where 18 passengers were hospitalised.
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