A Spring Japan Boeing 737 experienced an emergency descent on June 30, leading to an unscheduled landing at Kansai International Airport. The flight was en route from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Tokyo Narita Airport when cabin pressurization issues arose.
The aircraft, operating as Flight JL8696/IJ004—a code-share between Japan Airlines and Spring Airlines Japan—descended rapidly from its cruising altitude of 36,000 feet to approximately 10,000 feet within ten minutes. Oxygen masks were deployed during the descent. Passengers reported hearing a "muffled boom" before the masks dropped, causing panic among those onboard.
A passenger recounted their experience to AP: “I heard a muffled boom, and the oxygen mask fell off in a few seconds. The stewardess cried and shouted to put on the oxygen mask, saying the plane had a malfunction.”