MUMBAI- An Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operating flight ET640 from Addis Ababa to Mumbai was forced to make an emergency landing. On 27th June 2025, an early Friday morning, flight ET640 experienced a cabin depressurization event mid-flight.
The aircraft landed safely at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) at 1:55 AM IST, carrying 300 passengers and 11 crew members.
Photo: By Alan Wilson – https://www.flickr.com/photos/ajw1970/15439360130/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=84683491Ethiopian Airlines Emergency Landing
The flight had been cruising over the Arabian Sea when the crew detected a cabin depressurization. It is a condition where air pressure inside the cabin falls to unsafe levels.
The pilots responded immediately by initiating a controlled emergency descent to a lower altitude where oxygen levels are safer.
The situation was handled professionally and without further escalation. Upon landing, airport medical teams attended to passengers on the ground at Mumbai Airport. Seven people who were on board were reporting mild symptoms like dizziness. One passenger was taken to the hospital, and six were treated on-site and were reported stable.
The aircraft involved was a 5.3-year-old Boeing 787-9, registered as ET-AXS, which is part of Ethiopian Airlines’ long-haul fleet of Boeing 787s. The Dreamliner features advanced cabin pressurization systems and includes emergency oxygen masks for passengers.
In this case, the crew acted quickly and descended to a safer altitude. The aircraft started descending at about 7:00 pm UTC, still about 1.5 hours away from its destination. The flight descended to below 10,000 feet and continued flying to Mumbai.
As per the recordings available at Flightradar24.com, ET640 was descending and passing at 17,900 ft at 7:13 pm UTC. The flight landed at 08:38 pm UTC at Mumbai safely.
Such incidents are rare but show the importance of pilot training and aircraft maintenance. Safety experts highlight that even in modern aircraft, technical failures can occur, making swift crew response critical.
Photo: By Tomás Del Coro from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA – ET-ARF Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner s/n 34752, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63558671Investigation Underway
Ethiopian Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement and assured that it is working with aviation authorities to investigate the cause. Early assessments suggest a possible fault in the pressurization system. Reports state that authorities have grounded the aircraft at Mumbai Airport. A full technical inspection is pending.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to lead the inquiry and coordinate it with Boeing and Ethiopian Airlines’ engineering teams.
The airline praised its crew for ensuring a calm and effective emergency response and thanked Mumbai’s airport staff for their quick medical and ground support.
Airline staff are currently offering assistance to affected passengers. Authorities are expected to provide more updates soon on the condition of the hospitalized travelers.
The incident comes in a challenging period for aviation safety, particularly for Boeing 787 operators. Earlier this month, a separate and unrelated Air India Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad raised concerns among flyers, though experts would caution against linking the two events. Each case involves unique circumstances and causes.
Photo: EurospotBottom Line
While the cabin issue caused alarm, the safe landing of ET640 is a clear example of the effectiveness of aviation protocols and the professionalism of trained airline staff.
Ethiopian Airlines is now determining what went wrong and taking steps to ensure it does not repeat such incidents.
Ethiopian Airlines will arrange a separate flight to fly the stranded passengers from Mumbai to Addis Ababa. Passengers who were to transfer from Addis Ababa will be provided with alternate flights.
Stay tuned with us. Further, follow us on social media for the latest updates.
Join us on Telegram Group for the Latest Aviation Updates. Subsequently, follow us on Google News
United Airlines Paris to Washington Flight Experienced False Depressurization Warning
The post Ethiopian Airlines Flight with 787 Makes Emergency Landing in Mumbai appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
