Air Malta jet lands in Sofia with pressurisation problems

An Air Malta Boeing 737 landed in an emergency situation in Sofia, Bulgaria yesterday after pressurisation problems developed on its descent.

The plane, carrying 61 passengers and seven crew, was flying to Malta from Istanbul, in Turkey, via Sofia, a spokesman for Air Malta said.

Pressurisation means that air somehow manages to make its way into the plane, causing pressure problems inside.

When the situation occurs, the oxygen mask of each passenger drops automatically for passengers to put them on, helping themselves to breathe freely under the loss of pressure.

A frequent flyer said such a situation was not pleasant at all but it was the procedure adopted by airlines in the event of such a situation.

As a result of the incident, the flight back to Malta, using a relief plane, was delayed by about seven hours, the spokesman said.

Air Malta issued a statement saying the plane had a normal landing.

The airline did not give details about the type or extent of the technical fault that led to the emergency, but informed sources said the loss of pressure could have been caused by various factors, including a weakening in the rubber cushioning the plane's door.

Air Malta sent another jet to Sofia to fly the passengers and crew back to Malta.

The Boeing involved in the incident was grounded so that full checks could be carried out.

"The grounding of the plane is understandable because for a start, the oxygen masks have to be put back manually, a laborious task in itself," sources said.

If the need arises, Air Malta would send its own engineers and technicians to Bulgaria to counter check the work carried out on the plane, the sources said.