Horror as cabin on packed plane DEPRESSURISES moments after take-off forcing flight to land as passengers scream
A PLANE with 111 people on board suddenly lost pressure, releasing oxygen masks as passengers screamed and the aircraft plunged to the ground.
Dramatic video captured the heart-stopping final moments on board the Airbus A319 before it was forced to make an emergency landing.
Oxygen masks dropped, children cried, and passengers uttered prayers as the plane’s crew scrambled to cope with the emergency.
It is understood the Russian plane was bound for St Petersburg.
One passenger recalled: “We started to drop sharply. Everyone’s masks dropped down over their heads.”
A man who was on board said: “Children were screaming, women were praying, everyone was stressed.”
While another passenger told news outlet Fontanka: “It was very scary. I’ve never used a mask before. I had to.
“But the stewardesses were fearless, carrying water [to passengers]. They smiled.”
She praised the plane’s pilots for their “wonderful job” in managing to bring the plane safely to the ground just 20 minutes into the flight.
According to reports, the Airbus A319 returned “safely” to the same airport from where it it had taken off to the sounds of applause and shouts of “bravo” from passengers.
It comes one day after “micro-explosions” led to fires in both engines of a Boeing 737 with 175 passengers on board, resulting in another emergency landing.
The S7 airline plane was en route to Moscow from Novosibirsk, Russia’s third largest city, when disaster struck about 6.30am yesterrday.
Passengers claimed the fires started while the plane was on the runway taking off.
One said: “The right engine, next to which I was sitting, caught fire while still on the runway, several flames burst out.
“We took off and it flared up once every 10 to 20 seconds.
“Then the second engine caught fire, and they flashed simultaneously.”
Shot media reported: “While climbing, sparks and flames suddenly flew from both engines.”
The Sun is your go to destination for the best celebrity news, football news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Download our fantastic, new and improved free App for the best ever Sun Online experience. For iPhone click here, for Android click here.
Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSun and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.