Singapore - A Singapore Airlines plane en route to Beijing returned to Changi Airport 90 minutes after takeoff due to a loss of cabin pressure, officials said Sunday. Flight SQ802, carrying 232 passengers and 13 crew, was flying at an altitude of 36,000 feet.
With the loss of cabin pressure, the pilot descended first to 32,000 feet and then to 10,000 feet on Saturday, the carrier said.
"Oxygen masks were deployed," because of the rapid six-minute descent, a company spokesman said.
The masks were safely removed once the Boeing 777-200 was stable at 10,000 feet, he said.
The plane landed safely. Passengers were transferred to a different aircraft for their journey to Beijing.
The company said it was investigating the incident, and noted that the plane would be tested before being put back into service.
