A Japan Airlines flight from Shanghai to Tokyo was forced to deploy oxygen masks to passengers after their Boeing 737 plane dropped nearly 26,000 feet. According to the South China Morning Post, the plane operating under a code-share agreement between Japan Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary, Spring Japan, made an emergency landing at Kansai Airport on Monday after it experienced a mid-air mechanical issue.
There were 191 passengers and crew onboard the plane when it rapidly descended from approximately 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet within 10 minutes.
Passengers feared the plane would crash as oxygen masks were released amid fears the change in pressure levels could cause some people to lose consciousness. They took to social media soon after landing and described the incident as “life-threatening”. “My body is still here, but my soul hasn’t caught up. My legs are still shaking. When you face life or death, everything else feels trivial,” one passenger wrote, as per SCMP.
No injuries were reported when the aircraft landed in Osaka. Those on board were offered 15,000 yen ($104) in transportation compensation and provided one night of accommodation. An investigation has been launched to determine what caused the incident.
