Boeing scare: Spring Airlines flight plunges 26,000 feet, makes emergency landing in Japan

Oxygen masks were immediately deployed as the aircraft plummeted from 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet in under ten minutes.

In a terrifying mid-air incident, a Spring Airlines Japan flight operating under a Japan Airlines (JAL) code-share, on Monday, reportedly made an emergency landing at Kansai International Airport in Osaka after a sudden loss of cabin pressure triggered a rapid descent of nearly 26,000 feet.

Flight JL8696, a Boeing 737, was en route from Shanghai Pudong to Tokyo when, at around 6:53 pm local time, a pressurisation alarm went off.

Oxygen masks were immediately deployed as the aircraft plummeted from 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet in under ten minutes.

The flight was diverted and landed safely at 8:50 pm. All 191 passengers and crew on board were unharmed.

Passengers described the situation as "life-threatening" on social media, with some writing final messages to loved ones.

“My body is still here, but my soul hasn’t caught up. My legs are still shaking,” one passenger wrote.

Another said, “I was on the verge of tears, writing my will and sharing my bank PINs.”

Eyewitness accounts revealed chaos inside the aircraft.

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

“I heard a muffled boom, and the oxygen mask fell off in a few seconds. The stewardess cried and shouted to put it on, saying the plane had a malfunction,” said one flyer.

The passengers were offered 15,000 yen (approximately Rs 9,000 or $104) and overnight accommodation as compensation.

Japanese aviation authorities have, meanwhile, launched an investigation to determine the cause of the incident.

The aircraft involved belongs to Spring Airlines Japan, a low-cost carrier affiliated with Japan Airlines. The latest incident adds to the already mounting concerns over Boeing’s 737 series, which has seen several safety scares globally in recent years.

The IATA and Japanese regulators are expected to issue further safety reviews in light of recent mid-air emergencies involving Boeing aircraft.