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| Forced landing for Ryanair flight | Forced landing for Ryanair flight |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| A Ryanair flight carrying British holidaymakers has been forced to make an unscheduled landing due to a loss of cabin pressure, the company has said. | A Ryanair flight carrying British holidaymakers has been forced to make an unscheduled landing due to a loss of cabin pressure, the company has said. |
| Flight FR9336 from Bristol to Barcelona Girona airport was diverted to Limoges, central France, on Monday night. | Flight FR9336 from Bristol to Barcelona Girona airport was diverted to Limoges, central France, on Monday night. |
| In total, 16 passengers were taken to hospital with earache. | In total, 16 passengers were taken to hospital with earache. |
| In a separate incident, a Ryanair flight from Liverpool to Sardinia was diverted on Tuesday to Stansted following a minor technical problem. | In a separate incident, a Ryanair flight from Liverpool to Sardinia was diverted on Tuesday to Stansted following a minor technical problem. |
| Passengers on flight FR9642 from Liverpool to Alghero were transferred to a replacement aircraft. | Passengers on flight FR9642 from Liverpool to Alghero were transferred to a replacement aircraft. |
| The woman sitting in the seats in front of us was whimpering Pen Hadow When planes lose pressure | The woman sitting in the seats in front of us was whimpering Pen Hadow When planes lose pressure |
| Ryanair's chief executive Michael O'Leary defended the actions of flight FR9336's crew during the incident, which have been criticised by passengers. | Ryanair's chief executive Michael O'Leary defended the actions of flight FR9336's crew during the incident, which have been criticised by passengers. |
| He also denied passenger claims that the oxygen masks had not been working. | He also denied passenger claims that the oxygen masks had not been working. |
| Ryanair said the captain of the Spain-bound flight had descended and diverted the flight to Limoges at about 2330 local time (2230 BST) "as a safety precaution". | Ryanair said the captain of the Spain-bound flight had descended and diverted the flight to Limoges at about 2330 local time (2230 BST) "as a safety precaution". |
| All 168 passengers disembarked safely upon landing, it added. | All 168 passengers disembarked safely upon landing, it added. |
| In total, 16 passengers complaining of earache, together with five accompanying family members, were taken to a local hospital. | In total, 16 passengers complaining of earache, together with five accompanying family members, were taken to a local hospital. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| Arctic explorer Pen Hadow, who was on the flight with his family, told BBC News they had had no warning, "it just suddenly happened". | Arctic explorer Pen Hadow, who was on the flight with his family, told BBC News they had had no warning, "it just suddenly happened". |
| And when he had put on his mask, there had been "no oxygen flow coming through the line". | And when he had put on his mask, there had been "no oxygen flow coming through the line". |
| Mr Hadow, who became the first man to walk unaided to the North Pole in 2003, was also critical of a lack of communication by cabin crew and Ryanair ground staff. | Mr Hadow, who became the first man to walk unaided to the North Pole in 2003, was also critical of a lack of communication by cabin crew and Ryanair ground staff. |
| "It was unfortunate that, for whatever reasons, the flight crew were not able to talk to any of us," he told BBC News. | "It was unfortunate that, for whatever reasons, the flight crew were not able to talk to any of us," he told BBC News. |
| "We really didn't see them during the main situation at all. They didn't say anything, they weren't visible. We have not heard a squeak. | "We really didn't see them during the main situation at all. They didn't say anything, they weren't visible. We have not heard a squeak. |
| "No-one at Ryanair... there was no physical presence and absolutely no sense of any sort of frontline communication with us. | "No-one at Ryanair... there was no physical presence and absolutely no sense of any sort of frontline communication with us. |
| "Some people thought we were going to die - that is how frightening it was. The woman sitting in the seats in front of us was whimpering. | "Some people thought we were going to die - that is how frightening it was. The woman sitting in the seats in front of us was whimpering. |
| "We have been through a genuine life-threatening emergency. The runway had fire engines all the way down the line, this was a full-on situation." | "We have been through a genuine life-threatening emergency. The runway had fire engines all the way down the line, this was a full-on situation." |
| But Michael O'Leary said the masks had been working as they should. | But Michael O'Leary said the masks had been working as they should. |
| "Passengers sometimes misunderstand and expect there's going to be a surge of oxygen, when in actual fact there's simply a steady stream of oxygen," he said. | "Passengers sometimes misunderstand and expect there's going to be a surge of oxygen, when in actual fact there's simply a steady stream of oxygen," he said. |
| "I've been in one of these myself. The oxygen masks were working, the correct safety procedures were followed." | "I've been in one of these myself. The oxygen masks were working, the correct safety procedures were followed." |
| Passengers also complained that the flight crew failed to tell them immediately why the aircraft was descending so quickly. | Passengers also complained that the flight crew failed to tell them immediately why the aircraft was descending so quickly. |
| Mr O' Leary said passengers had not been told immediately why the aircraft was descending so quickly because safety had been the crew's priority. | Mr O' Leary said passengers had not been told immediately why the aircraft was descending so quickly because safety had been the crew's priority. |
| "We have to require that the pilots and the cabin crew deploy their oxygen masks and they can't be making PA announcements while they have their oxygen masks on," he said. | "We have to require that the pilots and the cabin crew deploy their oxygen masks and they can't be making PA announcements while they have their oxygen masks on," he said. |
| "As the passengers confirmed the pilot did make an announcement once he got down to 8,000ft, when it's safe to take oxygen masks off." | "As the passengers confirmed the pilot did make an announcement once he got down to 8,000ft, when it's safe to take oxygen masks off." |
| Ryanair said a replacement aircraft had been flown from Stansted Airport to Limoges and had taken the remaining passengers to Barcelona. | Ryanair said a replacement aircraft had been flown from Stansted Airport to Limoges and had taken the remaining passengers to Barcelona. |
| The 16 passengers who had been examined in hospital - and the five who had accompanied them - would continue by coach, along with 18 others who had chosen not to fly. | The 16 passengers who had been examined in hospital - and the five who had accompanied them - would continue by coach, along with 18 others who had chosen not to fly. |