Flight in emergency landing drama after loss of pressure

The Ryanair flight filled with British holidaymakers had been bound for Spain when it was diverted to Limoges in France.

Arctic explorer Pen Hadow, one of 168 people on board, said passengers cried with relief as the plane landed safely.

16 passengers were taken to hospital with ear problems after the incident, which happened last night en route from Bristol to Barcelona-Girona.

Passengers today told how they had feared for their lives as the aircraft plummeted and oxygen masks dropped down during the emergency.

Mr Hadow, who became the first man to walk solo and unsupported from the northern coast of Canada to the North Pole in 2003, was flying with his wife, Mary, son Wilf, nine, and daughter Freya, six.

He said: "I would say 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."

He added some people had cried with relief when the plane landed safely, while others had clapped.

A Ryanair spokeswoman said: "Ryanair confirms that the FR9336 from Bristol airport to Barcelona Girona airport on the evening of August 25 experienced an inflight depressurisation incident, which caused the oxygen masks on board to deploy.

"As a safety precaution the captain descended and diverted the aircraft to Limoges Airport at approximately 23.30 local French time.

"All 168 passengers disembarked safely upon landing. A total of 16 passengers together with five accompanying family members have transferred, at their request, to a local hospital complaining of ear ache."

The spokeswoman said a replacement aircraft would take passengers on to Spain this morning.

Mr Hadow described hearing a "loud and unnerving sound" as the cabin pressure dropped.

The explorer, whose son was one of those taken to hospital after the incident, said a number of oxygen masks inside the cabin had failed to inflate.

"Mine wasn't filling up with oxygen and neither was my son's," he said. "He was hyperventilating."

" I looked at the lady on my left and her's hadn't filled up either.

From where I was sitting I could see about 20 masks and only a few of them were inflating.

"It was extremely variable as to who got oxygen in their masks, and the cabin crew didn't seem to know what to do."

But Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary insisted that correct procedures were followed and the oxygen masks worked correctly.

Defending the crew's actions, he said it was not possible for them to make an announcement about the situation because safety regulations meant the pilots and cabin staff had to don oxygen masks themselves.