The flight was en route from Houston to Washington when a loss of cabin pressure prompted the crew to make the unexpected stop at New Orleans' Louis Armstrong International Airport, The (New Orleans) Times-Picayune reported.

Continental spokeswomen said no one was injured in the afternoon incident involving Flight 458 and the passengers were being placed on other flights.

The aircraft made a "sharp dive" and landed after the drop in pressure inside caused oxygen masks to drop from the cabin's ceiling panels, KPRC-TV in Houston reported. New Orleans was the nearest airport.

The congressmen on board were Ted Poe, John Carter and Ron Paul, Nick Lampson, Ciro Rodriguez, Solomon Ortiz and Henry Cuellar, KHOU-TV in Houston reported.

"We didn't even know it was an emergency until we heard about it on CNN," said Josh Rosenblum, a spokesman for Rodriguez. "The congressman is cool and calm under pressure."