Jet's loss of cabin pressure probed

Passengers who suffered ear problems after the plane descended quickly before diverting to a French airport completed their journey to Girona in Spain by coach.

They included Arctic explorer Pen Hadow whose son Wilf, nine, was among 16 passengers who had gone to hospital after the flight from Bristol landed safely at Limoges.

Mr Hadow said passengers feared for their lives as the plane descended, that oxygen masks had not worked properly and that there were no immediate announcements to passengers about what was happening.

But Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary said the masks had worked normally and the cockpit crew had made an announcement after bringing the plane down to safer levels.

Ryanair said 16 passengers, accompanied by five family members had gone to a local hospital at Limoges complaining of earache.

Most passengers were flown on to Girona overnight in a replacement plane. Those who had gone to hospital plus 18 who had chosen not to take the overnight flight left Limoges for Spain by coach.

A Ryanair spokeswoman said: "Ryanair's engineers have inspected the aircraft and have confirmed that the oxygen masks which deployed were working properly. The Irish and French aviation authorities have been notified of this incident and a full investigation will be undertaken.

"The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, is five years old and was last serviced on July 24. The captain of the flight has flown with Ryanair for five years and seven months and has over 13,400 hours' flying experience.

"While this investigation is ongoing with the French and Irish authorities Ryanair will not comment further on this incident."