Sixteen people were treated in hospital after a Ryanair flight bound for Spain was forced to land following a loss of cabin pressure.
The passengers mostly suffered ear problems during the incident which happened on Monday night en route from Bristol to Barcelona's Girona airport.
The aircraft was diverted to Limoges International Airport in France as a "safety precaution" but terrified passengers have spoken of how they had feared for their lives as the aircraft plummeted and oxygen masks dropped down.
Arctic explorer Pen Hadow, who was on the flight with his wife Mary and their two children, one of whom was treated in hospital, said: "I would say some people thought we were going to die - that is how frightening it was. The woman sitting in the seats in front of us was whimpering."
He added some people had cried with relief when the plane landed safely, while others had clapped.
The 16 passengers examined in hospital will now travel on by coach with five people who had accompanied them, plus another 18 others who had chosen not to fly onwards, Ryanair said.
The airline said that those who had spent the night in Limoges had been provided with hotel accommodation and refreshments by Ryanair's handling agents.
A Ryanair spokeswoman said: "Our engineers have inspected the aircraft overnight and have confirmed that the oxygen masks which deployed were working properly.
"In accordance with Ryanair's safety procedure during this de-pressurisation incident, the pilots and cabin crew also deployed their oxygen masks until the aircraft made a controlled descent to 8,000ft at which stage it was safe for the pilot to make a public address announcement advising all passengers that they would be diverting as a safety precaution to Limoges airport, where Ryanair were arranging for a replacement aircraft to take them onwards to their destination in Barcelona Girona."
She continued: "Ryanair will this morning be in contact with all the passengers on board the aircraft, to communicate our sincere apologies for any distress or delay the passengers on board may have suffered due to this depressurisation incident.
"Ryanair has already notified the Irish and French aviation authorities and a full investigation of this incident will be undertaken later today."
Mr Hadow - who became the first man to walk solo and unsupported from the northern coast of Canada to the North Pole in 2003 and is planning to embark on an expedition in February to measure the thickness of Arctic sea ice by traversing it with radar - said many of the passengers appeared to be in shock.
He described hearing a "loud and unnerving sound" as the cabin pressure dropped.
"I knew it wasn't an engine problem," he said. "There was a sudden drop in temperature and a rush of cold air. You think to yourself: God, is there a hole in the aircraft? It actually felt like someone had opened a door at the back of the aircraft. It was incredibly cold.
"The next thing the oxygen masks were dropping. My highest priority was to get a mask onto my son who was sitting next to me in a bemused and frightened state.
"We were descending for about five minutes from what I assume was 30,000 or 40,000ft to 8,000ft. As we landed we saw fire engines every quarter of a mile down the runway.
"It was obvious to me that there was depressurisation in the cabin but there was no announcement and no evidence of the cabin crew for most of this experience. Why on earth didn't they give a few more calming words to the passengers?"
What is going on lately??
So much cheap flights are the cause of droping down on maintenance and safety on planes??
Sixteen people were treated in hospital after a Ryanair flight bound for Spain was forced to land following a loss of cabin pressure.
The passengers mostly suffered ear problems during the incident which happened on Monday night en route from Bristol to Barcelona's Girona airport.
The aircraft was diverted to Limoges International Airport in France as a "safety precaution" but terrified passengers have spoken of how they had feared for their lives as the aircraft plummeted and oxygen masks dropped down.
Arctic explorer Pen Hadow, who was on the flight with his wife Mary and their two children, one of whom was treated in hospital, said: "I would say some people thought we were going to die - that is how frightening it was. The woman sitting in the seats in front of us was whimpering."
He added some people had cried with relief when the plane landed safely, while others had clapped.
The 16 passengers examined in hospital will now travel on by coach with five people who had accompanied them, plus another 18 others who had chosen not to fly onwards, Ryanair said.
The airline said that those who had spent the night in Limoges had been provided with hotel accommodation and refreshments by Ryanair's handling agents.
A Ryanair spokeswoman said: "Our engineers have inspected the aircraft overnight and have confirmed that the oxygen masks which deployed were working properly.
"In accordance with Ryanair's safety procedure during this de-pressurisation incident, the pilots and cabin crew also deployed their oxygen masks until the aircraft made a controlled descent to 8,000ft at which stage it was safe for the pilot to make a public address announcement advising all passengers that they would be diverting as a safety precaution to Limoges airport, where Ryanair were arranging for a replacement aircraft to take them onwards to their destination in Barcelona Girona."
She continued: "Ryanair will this morning be in contact with all the passengers on board the aircraft, to communicate our sincere apologies for any distress or delay the passengers on board may have suffered due to this depressurisation incident.
"Ryanair has already notified the Irish and French aviation authorities and a full investigation of this incident will be undertaken later today."
Mr Hadow - who became the first man to walk solo and unsupported from the northern coast of Canada to the North Pole in 2003 and is planning to embark on an expedition in February to measure the thickness of Arctic sea ice by traversing it with radar - said many of the passengers appeared to be in shock.
He described hearing a "loud and unnerving sound" as the cabin pressure dropped.
"I knew it wasn't an engine problem," he said. "There was a sudden drop in temperature and a rush of cold air. You think to yourself: God, is there a hole in the aircraft? It actually felt like someone had opened a door at the back of the aircraft. It was incredibly cold.
"The next thing the oxygen masks were dropping. My highest priority was to get a mask onto my son who was sitting next to me in a bemused and frightened state.
"We were descending for about five minutes from what I assume was 30,000 or 40,000ft to 8,000ft. As we landed we saw fire engines every quarter of a mile down the runway.
"It was obvious to me that there was depressurisation in the cabin but there was no announcement and no evidence of the cabin crew for most of this experience. Why on earth didn't they give a few more calming words to the passengers?"
What is going on lately??
So much cheap flights are the cause of droping down on maintenance and safety on planes??