Boeing 737 drops almost 26,000 feet; flight attendant screamed and urged passengers to wear oxygen masks.
A Boeing 737 flying from China to Tokyo dropped about 26,000 feet in under 10 minutes, prompting the pilot to declare an emergency to Air Traffic Control (ATC).
In another Boeing-related incident, a flight to Tokyo had to make an emergency landing after suddenly dropping in height. The plane fell from about 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet in less than 10 minutes, forcing the pilot to call Air Traffic Control for help. As the cabin lost pressure, oxygen masks dropped down and flight attendants shouted and cried, telling passengers to wear them.
Japan Airlines flight JL8696, carrying 191 people, had taken off from Shanghai Pudong Airport in China on Monday. Around 6:53 pm, a technical problem caused the plane to descend quickly. It was then redirected to Kansai International Airport in Osaka, where it landed safely at 8:50 pm.
The flight was a code-share service by Spring Airlines Japan, meaning one airline flew the plane while another sold the tickets.
Spring Airlines Japan was started in September 2012 as a partnership between China’s Spring Airlines and Japan Airlines. In June 2021, Japan Airlines took over as the main owner, while Spring Airlines still owns 33% of the company.
Later, Japan’s Ministry of Transport confirmed that during the plane’s descent, a warning about cabin pressure was triggered, showing there might have been a problem with the air pressure system inside the plane.
A video from inside the flight went viral on social media. It shows passengers putting on oxygen masks as the plane loses altitude. A few seconds later, the camera shows passengers wearing the masks.
Some passengers were so scared that one of them even wrote down their will and financial information.
One passenger said, “I heard a faint bang, and the oxygen masks dropped within seconds. The flight attendant cried and shouted for us to wear the masks, saying there was a problem with the plane.”
Another passenger shared, “I was sleeping when suddenly all the oxygen masks dropped down.”
A passenger shared on social media, “My body is here, but my soul still hasn’t caught up. My legs are still shaking. After facing life or death, everything else feels small.”
All passengers are safe and have been given 15,000 yen (about ₹9,000) and a place to stay for the night. An investigation is now being carried out.
Air India Plane Crash
The crash happened shortly after an Air India flight to London’s Gatwick Airport took off from Ahmedabad. Sadly, only one person survived. The plane was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Early investigations suggest that both engines failed — a rare event. The pilots had to activate an emergency power system called the Ram Air Turbine (RAT). India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is now looking into what went wrong. This crash is being called one of the worst in aviation history.
Just 38 hours later, another Air India Boeing Dreamliner had a scare. After takeoff, the plane suddenly started to descend at a rate of about 900 feet. It triggered a stall warning and a “don’t sink” alert. Thankfully, the pilots acted quickly and brought the plane under control. It landed safely in Vienna after a 9-hour flight.
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