Japan Airlines Boeing 737 Drops 26,000 Feet Mid-Flight, Triggers Panic and Emergency Landing

Last Updated Jul - 02 - 2025, 03:05 PM | Source : Fela News

A Japan Airlines flight from Shanghai to Tokyo plunged nearly 26,000 feet due to a pressurization issue, prompting oxygen mask deployment and an emergency landi

Japan Airlines Boeing 737 Drops 26,000 Feet Mid-Flight

Passengers aboard a Japan Airlines flight from Shanghai to Tokyo experienced a terrifying ordeal when the Boeing 737 aircraft suddenly dropped nearly 26,000 feet mid-flight, forcing the emergency release of oxygen masks. The incident occurred on June 30 during a codeshare flight operated by Spring Japan, a low-cost subsidiary of Japan Airlines, carrying 191 people on board.

According to the South China Morning Post and Associated Press, the flight departed from Shanghai Pudong Airport en route to Narita Airport in Tokyo. Around 6:53 PM local time, the aircraft experienced a sudden mechanical issue and plummeted from 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet in less than ten minutes.

The cabin rapidly depressurized, triggering oxygen masks to deploy, causing panic among passengers. Many feared the plane was about to crash. One passenger recounted hearing a muffled boom before the masks dropped, with a visibly distressed flight attendant urging everyone to put them on, saying there was a malfunction.

Some passengers were asleep when the descent began, waking up to masks falling from the ceiling. Others began preparing for the worst—writing wills and sending sensitive information such as PINs and insurance details to family members.

Video footage from inside the cabin captured the chaos, showing panicked passengers gripping their oxygen masks as an announcement was made over the intercom.

The pilot declared an emergency and diverted the plane to Kansai International Airport in Osaka. The flight landed safely at 8:50 PM local time, and no injuries were reported. A warning indicating a problem with the aircraft’s pressurization system had been triggered during the descent.

Affected passengers were given 15,000 yen (around $93) in transport compensation and offered overnight accommodation. Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the root cause of the malfunction.

This incident adds to growing concerns about Boeing aircraft, which are under heightened scrutiny following a deadly crash last month involving an Ahmedabad-London flight. That accident claimed over 270 lives, including nearly all of the 242 people on board. A string of other near-accidents involving Boeing jets has raised alarms about the safety of the manufacturer's planes.