Passengers have told of chaotic scenes as an AirAsia flight bound for Bali plummeted from 32,000 feet to just 10,000 feet before making an emergency landing in Perth.

AirAsia Indonesia flight QZ 535 was 25 minutes out of Perth on Sunday  en route to Denpasar with 151 passengers on board when an indicator alerted the pilot to a loss of cabin pressure.

The pilot made the decision to turn back and emergency services were placed on standby at Perth Airport.

Video from passengers on board showed a cabin crew member yelling: “Passengers get down, get down” as oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling.

“The panic was escalated because of the behaviour of staff who were screaming and looked tearful,” passenger Clare Askew told Channel Seven.

Passengers told Channel Nine they sent text messages to loved ones fearing they were going to die.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQBRh30WNq4

The aircraft landed safely at 12.40pm and there were no injuries to passengers.

The flight was cancelled and passengers were re-booked on later flights to Denpasar.

Most passengers got onto the next flight on Sunday with some hesitant to fly.

In a statement, AirAsia said: “The safety of our guests is our utmost priority. AirAsia Indonesia apologises for any inconvenience caused”.

AirAsia Indonesia said engineers were examining the aircraft to work out what went wrong.

Passengers said flight crew appeared as panicked as they were. Photo: Channel Seven

The mid-air emergency is the latest in a growing list of AirAsia scares after an AirAsia X flight from the Gold Coast  to Malaysia was forced to land in Brisbane in July when it apparently hit a bird,

In June, the pilot of a stricken AirAsia X plane told passengers to “say a prayer” when an engine issue forced the A330 to return to Perth.

Passengers at the time said AirAsia X flight D7237 was shaking like a “washing machine” when it experienced a problem with its engine.

– With agencies