Ryanair flight loses cabin pressure and 'descends 26,000ft in minutes' leaving 33 people in hospital

More than 30 people were taken to hospital after a Ryanair flight lost cabin pressure and descended 26,000ft in just seven minutes, according to officials.

German police said some passengers were left bleeding from their ears after the cabin became depressurised on the Dublin to Croatia flight.

Oxygen masks were deployed on the plane which was forced to divert to Frankfurt, Germany.

The airline said there was a shortage of accommodation for passengers who had to wait until Saturday morning for another flight.

A passenger reported on Facebook that the air went cold and the oxygen masks dropped, adding that there was a "dive of 3000 metres in less than one minute".

He said a lot of people complained about sore ears, but praised the pilots for doing an "excellent job".

According to Flight Radar, the plane descended 26,000ft in just seven minutes.

The Tagesspiegel newspaper reported that 33 passengers were taken to hospital, adding that Federal Police said passengers were complaining of "headache and earache and suffered from nausea".

There were 189 passengers on board.

"We get on the plane, we're flying and next of all the oxygen mask comes down, we're left in darkness for 15 minutes, there's no reassurance just people shouting 'emergency, emergency'," Sarah McGarry told Irish Times newspaper.

"There was a newborn baby and children on the flight, people are screaming and we don't know what's going on for 15 minutes. Then finally we're told that we're going to Germany."

Another person said the experience was "really scary" and that the plane was "falling fast".

One person tweeted a picture of a bloodied oxygen mask from the flight with the caption: "A picture from one of the passengers of the flight FR7312, from Dublin to Zadar. She cannot fly due her injuries. We are still in the Frankfurt-Hahn."

A Ryanair spokesman said: "This flight from Dublin to Zadar [July 13] diverted to Frankfurt Hahn due to an inflight depressurisation.

"In line with standard procedure, the crew deployed oxygen masks and initiated a controlled descent.

"The aircraft landed normally and customers disembarked, where a small number received medical attention as a precaution.

"Customers were provided with refreshment vouchers and hotel accommodation was authorised, however there was a shortage of available accommodation.

"Customers will board a replacement aircraft which will depart to Zadar this morning and Ryanair sincerely apologised for any inconvenience."