Pilot’s sneaky smoke triggers airliner plunge

PASSENGERS feared for their lives as their plane made a rapid descent – all because a co-pilot had started to smoke a cigarette in the cockpit.

The Air China jet went into emergency descent and released oxygen masks after he mistakenly turned off air-conditioning systems to conceal his e-cigarette smoke.

The incident happened on a Boeing 737 flight from Hong Kong to the city of Dalian in north-eastern China. The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said the unnamed pilot had sought to turn off the ventilation system to prevent his smoke spreading into the main cabin, leading to a decrease in oxygen levels.

Smoking is not allowed on Chinese commercial passenger flights.

Media reports said the plane may have descended tens of thousands of feet on Tuesday to an altitude of 10,000ft.

The CAAC said there were no injuries to the 153 passengers and nine crew and it was still investigating.