Boeing caused panic among terrified passengers when a Japan Airlines flight suddenly dropped 26,000 feet due to a mid-air problem. The flight left Shanghai on June 30, heading to Tokyo Narita, when a serious issue caused oxygen masks to fall from the ceiling.
There were 191 people onboard, and many feared they wouldn’t survive the sudden drop through turbulent skies.
A Spring Airlines flight from Shanghai to Tokyo was forced to make an emergency landing at Kansai Airport after a sudden loss of cabin pressure triggered a rapid descent from 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet in ten minutes.
Flight JL8696 was cruising over Japan when a… pic.twitter.com/2n8rDGfqu5
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) July 1, 2025
Oxygen Masks Cause Fear
Around 6:53 PM local time, the Boeing 737 quickly dropped from 36,000 feet to just 10,500 feet in only 10 minutes. A loud boom was heard, followed by oxygen masks falling down above every seat.
“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,” a passenger said.
Some people were asleep when the incident happened. They woke up in shock and began writing their wills. One passenger sent their insurance and bank PINs to their family. Another said they were almost in tears while typing out personal details.
A video from the flight showed people holding their masks tightly while a flight attendant made an announcement over the intercom, trying to calm the panic.
Boeing Flight Lands Safely
An alert about the Boeing plane’s pressure system went off, and the pilot declared an emergency. The flight was diverted to Kansai International Airport in Osaka and landed safely at 8:50 PM. No one was injured despite the intense scare and steep descent.
Japan Airlines gave each passenger 15,000 yen (about $93) and a night’s stay. Officials have started an investigation into the cause of the issue and are reviewing maintenance logs.
This event adds to growing concerns over Boeing. Just weeks earlier, a Boeing plane crashed during a flight from Ahmedabad to London, killing over 270 people. Since then, several close calls involving Boeing planes have been reported worldwide.
