Terrified passengers write goodbye letters, will as plane drops 26,000ft
What's the story
A Japan Airlines flight from Shanghai to Tokyo experienced a terrifying incident on Monday when the Boeing 737-800 aircraft plunged nearly 26,000 feet. The flight, JL8696/IJ004, was headed for Narita Airport when it suddenly dropped from an altitude of 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet in less than 10 minutes due to a suspected cabin pressure failure. The rapid descent triggered the deployment of oxygen masks inside the cabin.
Emergency response
Flight diverted to Osaka, passengers offered compensation
The pilot declared an emergency to air traffic control and diverted the flight to Kansai International Airport in Osaka. The plane landed safely at 8:50pm local time. The 191 passengers were kept on board for over an hour before disembarking. Spring Airlines Japan has since offered each passenger 15,000 yen (around $93) as compensation for the ordeal.
Twitter Post
Incident caught on camera
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.
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) July 1, 2025
Flight JL8696 was cruising over Japan when a… pic.twitter.com/2n8rDGfqu5
Passenger impact
Passengers on social media express fear, investigation underway
The incident has raised safety concerns over the Boeing 737 series, which has been involved in multiple fatal crashes globally. Passengers expressed their shock and fear on social media, with one stating that she wrote a farewell note to her husband during the descent. Another person on "the verge of tears" quickly penned their will and financial details. "The stewardess cried and shouted to put on oxygen mask, saying the plane had a malfunction," one passenger said, according to People.
Probe
No injuries were reported
No injuries were reported when the plane arrived in Osaka at about 8:50pm local time. The aircraft maker has been in hot water since an incident on one of its Alaska Airlines flights last year, when a side exit door was blown off in mid-flight. An investigation is underway into this incident by Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.