A packed Indian Boeing 737 passenger plane had to abort its climb, turn around and return home after over two dozen people on board suffered nose and ear bleeding as the crew forgot to switch on the pressure control.

The passengers on board Jet Airways flight 9W 967 started bleeding and experiencing headaches shortly after take-off. The people had to use oxygen masks to breathe. The plane, scheduled to travel from Mumbai to Jaipur, promptly turned around and returned to the airport.

Panic situation due to technical fault in @jetairways 9W 0697 going from Mumbai to Jaipur. Flt return back to Mumbai after 45 mts. All passengers are safe including me. pic.twitter.com/lnOaFbcaps — Darshak Hathi (@DarshakHathi) September 20, 2018

The crew apparently did little to help the frightened and injured people, and didn’t explain what was going on, some of the passengers complained.

“Scores of passengers including me bleeding from nose. No staff to help. No announcement on board to wear the oxygen mask,” one person wrote, as he posted photos of himself inside the plane and on the tarmac after the aircraft landed.

@jetairways Flight 9W 697 made an emergency landing back in Mumbai. Airplane lost pressure immediately after taking off...scores of passengers including me bleeding from nose....no staff to help...no announcement on board to wear the oxygen mask.passengersafety completelyignored pic.twitter.com/vO9O95aMCP — Satish Nair (@satishnairk) September 20, 2018

The crew acted “unprofessionally” and the staff on the ground was “clueless” as to what happened, another unlucky traveler said.

Just had an emergency landing I the crew acts unprofessional the ground staff clueless n no sr rep at site to guide.#jetairways#9w697pic.twitter.com/m7prsmIGIj — Amit relan (@RelanAmit) September 20, 2018

Passengers also said that some airport workers tried to prevent them from recording videos.

Due to negligence of cabin crew of #jetairways. my 4 year son suffered bleeding from nose. pic.twitter.com/WXbRw8NhG7 — GOPAL KEDIA (@gopal_kedia) September 20, 2018

The plane’s crew “forgot to select switch to maintain cabin pressure,” Lalit Gupta, senior official at the Directorate of Civil Aviation, explained.

Jet Airways confirmed that the plane was turned back due to “loss in cabin pressure” and said that all people on board were “deplaned safely” and escorted to the terminal.

Please refer to our official statement: pic.twitter.com/1q3ZKALYvG — Jet Airways (@jetairways) September 20, 2018

The plane was carrying 166 passengers and five crew members.

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