Passengers panic after plane's sudden drop
People were flying on the VA993 from Sydney to Brisbane shortly after 8.30pm Wednesday when the plane lost cabin pressure soon after takeoff.
However, about 40 minutes later, the plane dropped suddenly with oxygen masks quickly deployed.
Data from FlightRadar showed the plane reached a peak of 37,000 feet about 9pm before making a dramatic drop to 8775 feet.
The flight remained at this altitude for the remainder of the journey to Brisbane before making a safe landing.
Footage obtained by 10News showed the oxygen masks hanging from the overhead compartments, with flight attendants working to keep people calm.
Passengers could be heard applauding the flight attendants as the flight eventually returned to normal.
Speaking to Channel 10, a passenger, Haley, recalled sending a message to her husband saying the 'planes dropping'.
'Emergency landing – love you,' she wrote.
A Virgin Australia spokesman confirmed the flight arrived safely in Brisbane – albeit 10 minutes behind schedule – following the 'depressurisation event'.
'The flight crew took the appropriate steps, following standard operating procedures, to descend to a lower altitude,' they told NewsWire.
'As part of that process, a PAN call was transmitted to Air Traffic Control.'
PAN calls are internationally recognised calls for urgency, signalling the vessel requires help for an urgent situation.
It is different to a Mayday call, which is only reserved for life-threatening emergencies.
The spokesman told NewsWire no passengers or crew members were injured during the incident, and all had been approached by its guest relations team for counselling services.
'Safety remains Virgin Australia's number one priority, and we are reviewing the situation in line with our safety standards,' they said.
The aircraft will also be investigated by engineers, the spokesman said.
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