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Japan Airlines flight descends rapidly due to mechanical issue; lands safely

Japan Airlines flight descends rapidly due to mechanical issue; lands safely
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Airline Ratings | Airline Ratings

Passengers on a Japan Airlines flight experienced a harrowing incident when their Boeing 737 aircraft descended nearly 26,000 feet due to a mechanical failure. The event occurred on June 30, during a flight from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Tokyo Narita. The flight was operating under the codeshare JL8696/IJ004 between Japan Airlines and its low-cost affiliate Spring Japan.

According to reports from Kyodo News, The Standard, and South China Morning Post, the aircraft had 191 passengers and crew on board when it encountered a pressurization malfunction around 6:53 p.m. local time. This caused the plane to rapidly descend from approximately 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet within minutes.

The Associated Press and Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism confirmed that oxygen masks were deployed throughout the cabin. A passenger reported hearing a “muffled boom” before the masks dropped and described how a stewardess urged everyone to put on their oxygen masks due to the malfunction.

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Sharon Petersen, CEO of AirlineRatings, explained: “This would have been an absolutely terrifying experience for passengers, and it’s natural for panic to set in when those oxygen masks appear. In today’s world of social media and fast-moving headlines, it’s important to clarify that this was not a sudden 26,000-foot freefall like a rollercoaster. The descent was rapid and steep, yet it was controlled. The pilots maintained full command of the aircraft at all times and followed all safety protocols precisely.”

Another passenger recalled being awakened by the pressure drop as oxygen masks deployed suddenly while they were sleeping. A third passenger described being "on the verge of tears," using the time to write down personal details such as insurance information.

Footage shared by Newsflare depicted passengers wearing oxygen masks amid an emergency announcement by a flight attendant. An alert about an abnormality in the pressurization system led pilots to declare an emergency and divert the plane to Kansai International Airport in Osaka where it landed safely at approximately 8:50 p.m. local time without any injuries reported.

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