Emirates aircraft suffers air pocket fall

KOCHI - The passengers of an Emirates flight from Dubai to this Kerala city suffered anxious moments Sunday morning when their aircraft fell almost 15,000 feet in an air pocket, an official said.

The official said the incident took place when the aircraft fell sharply from 20,000 feet to 5,000 feet before the pilot could bring it back under control.

After the plane landed at the airport here, a team of doctors examined all those passengers who suffered shock and bruises when the aircraft made the sudden descent in the air pocket.

Emirates Airlines officials said they will issue a statement shortly.

An air pocket is a downward air current that causes an aircraft to lose altitude abruptly. It is a localised region of low air density or a descending air current, causing an aircraft to suffer an abrupt decrease in height.