A major fault forced a Korean Air flight to suddenly descend 26,900 feet (8000 metres) in only 15 minutes, leaving in 17 passengers requiring hospital treatment.
The mid-air emergency last Saturday caused the Taiwan-bound Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft to be diverted back to Korea, reports the Independent newspaper.
Almost 50 minutes after taking off from Incheon International Airport, a fault in the pressurisation system of Korean Air flight KE189 triggered alarms inside the plane.
According to online flight tracker Flightradar24, the aircraft plummeted 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 outlets about scenes of distress and panic aboard, with children crying during the abrupt descent.
Some passengers reported being affected by hyperventilation and ear pain.
The aircraft was diverted back to Incheon and landed safely more than three years after it took off.
Korean Air said 17 passengers required treatment for minor injuries in hospital and were later discharged.
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The flight resumed the following day with a different aircraft, while Korean Air launched an investigation into the incident.
Earlier this month, Singapore Airlines offered to pay tens of thousands of dollars in compensation to passengers injured in a deadly turbulence event.
At least one man died and dozens were 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.
