Spring Airlines Japan flight JL8696 experienced an unusual cabin pressure alert on June 30 during a flight from Shanghai, China, to Tokyo, Japan. There were 191 passengers and crew members on board.
"The crew contacted air traffic control and performed a controlled descent to ensure safety. The aircraft then made an emergency landing at Kansai Airport in Osaka," Japan Airlines (JAL), the parent company of Spring Airlines Japan, said on July 1.
Data from the civil aviation tracking website FlightRadar24 shows that the plane maintained a cruising altitude of approximately 11,700 meters, then descended to just 3,000 meters within 10 minutes. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800, manufactured in 2017.
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Oxygen masks deployed in the passenger cabin as the plane descended. Photo: X/Cyue |
Oxygen masks deployed in the passenger cabin as the plane descended. Photo: X/Cyue
No one was injured, but several passengers described a scene of panic as the plane rapidly descended and oxygen masks were deployed. "My soul left my body. My legs are still shaking. When faced with death, everything becomes trivial," one passenger recalled.
"I heard a loud noise before the oxygen masks dropped. Flight attendants yelled for everyone to put on their masks and announced that the plane was experiencing a problem," another passenger told the Associated Press.
One passenger said they were "so scared I almost cried" and decided to write a will, recording insurance information and bank PIN codes for family members.
Passengers reported they had to remain on the plane for over an hour after landing. The airline offered compensation of 15,000 yen (104 USD) to each passenger and provided overnight accommodations.
On July 1, Spring Airlines Japan announced the cancellation of several round-trip flights between Shanghai and Tokyo to review operational capabilities. JAL is investigating the cause of the incident but has not released further information.
Duc Trung (Kyodo, Okinawa Times, AP)
