"Felt Like My Soul Left"... Passengers Shocked as Plane Plummets from 10,000 Meters

Emergency Landing After Rapid Descent Due to Cabin Pressure Abnormality
Airline Offers Compensation of About 140,000 KRW per Passenger

Japan Airlines flight JL8696, which was heading from Shanghai Pudong Airport in China to Tokyo Narita Airport in Japan, made an emergency landing at Osaka Kansai Airport after a sudden rapid descent. On July 1 (local time), international media outlets such as the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that on June 30, the aircraft, which was operating as a codeshare flight IJ004 with the low-cost carrier Spring Airlines Japan, diverted to Osaka Kansai Airport for an emergency landing.

Japan Airlines flight JL8696, heading from Shanghai Pudong Airport in China to Tokyo Narita Airport in Japan, made an emergency landing at Osaka Kansai Airport after a sudden rapid descent. X (X)

The emergency landing was prompted by a warning indicating an abnormality in the aircraft's pressurization system, which maintains cabin pressure. If cabin pressure falls outside the normal range, the pilot must rapidly descend the aircraft to below 3,000 meters above sea level to prevent passengers from experiencing hypoxia. At this altitude, it is possible to breathe without oxygen masks. In this incident, the aircraft also made a rapid descent from 11,000 meters to 3,200 meters in about 10 minutes immediately after detecting the pressurization abnormality. After contacting air traffic control, the pilots proceeded to make an emergency landing. During this process, fortunately, none of the 191 passengers and crew members were injured.

Japan Airlines flight JL8696, heading from Shanghai Pudong Airport in China to Tokyo Narita Airport in Japan, made an emergency landing at Osaka Kansai Airport after a sudden rapid descent. X (X)

However, some passengers expressed dissatisfaction, stating that the emergency landing process was dangerous. One passenger said, "The plane plummeted from over 10,000 meters and the oxygen masks dropped down. It was an experience that threatened my life." Another passenger, who is a Chinese national, said, "My body was there, but it felt like my soul had left. My legs are still shaking, and when life and death are right in front of you, everything else feels trivial." According to local media, passengers remained on board for about an hour after landing for safety reasons.

In response to passenger complaints, the Japan branch of Spring Airlines Japan decided to compensate each passenger with 15,000 yen (approximately 140,000 KRW). Spring Airlines Japan was established in September 2012 as a joint venture between Spring Airlines, headquartered in Shanghai, China, and Japan Airlines. Since its founding in 2013, there have been no reports of any major safety-related incidents.