Weeks After Ahmedabad Crash, Another Boeing Dreamliner In Japan Plummets 26,000 Feet Mid-Air; Passengers Wrote ‘Goodbye Letters’ In Panic

Passengers onboard a Japan Airlines Boeing Dreamliner 737 were thrown into panic on Monday evening (June 30) when the aircraft abruptly plummeted nearly 26,000 feet mid-air, compelling terrified passengers to don oxygen masks and brace for what many feared could be their final moments.

The terrifying episode comes just weeks after a deadly crash involving the Boeing Dreamliner 787 in Ahmedabad which claimed 241 of 242 lives onboard. The incident further intensifies concerns around the aircraft maker’s safety record.

According tor reports, flight JL8696, travelling from Shanghai Pudong Airport in China to Tokyo’s Narita Airport, experienced a serious mechanical failure when it descended from 36,000 feet to just over 10,000 feet in under ten minutes. The captain quickly declared an emergency and diverted the flight to Kansai International Airport in Osaka, where it landed safely at 8:50 pm local time. All 191 passengers and crew landed without injuries.

Passengers Wrote ‘Goodbye Letters’ In Panic

According to Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the aircraft’s pressurisation system triggered an emergency alert during the descent. Within seconds, oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling, waking sleeping passengers and sparking chaos onboard.

“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,” one passenger told People.

Another said that passengers were writing out wills, their financial details and goodbye letters, fearing they would not survive. The rapid change in cabin pressure left many struggling to breathe, with some afraid of passing out.

Boeing Under Scrutiny; Airlines Compensates Passengers

This near-tragedy comes amid increasing scrutiny of the Boeing aircraft. The terrifying drop comes after the fatal crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad earlier in June and a separate incident last week where another Dreamliner struck a parked plane in Vietnam.

Last year, a door panel blew off mid-air on an Alaska Airlines Boeing flight, raising further concerns about the manufacturer’s quality control.

As goodwill gesture, Japan Airlines offered passengers ¥15,000 (roughly $93) and overnight accommodation. Investigation into the malfunction is currently underway.