In a shocking turn of events mid-air, a Japan Airlines Boeing 737 made an emergency landing in Osaka after plunging nearly 26,000 feet. Due to the sudden drop, the flight was forced to deploy oxygen masks for passengers on board. The incident occurred on Monday, June 30.
The plane was operating under a codeshare agreement between Japan Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary, Spring Japan. According to various news reports, the flight number was JL8696/IJ004. It had departed from Shanghai Pudong Airport in China and was bound for Tokyo Narita Airport in Japan.
Passengers Aboard
According to Associated Press, there were 191 passengers and crew onboard the plane when it suddenly experienced a mid-air mechanical issue. The aircraft rapidly descended from approximately 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet within 10 minutes, at approximately 6:53 p.m. local time. The aircraft made an emergency landing at the Kansai International Airport in Osaka.
#Ongoing Yesterday a Spring Airlines B-737 made an emergency descent over Japan after having pressurization problems at FL36, as seen on this video. Jet diverted safely to Kansai, no one was hurt. Source @fl360aero pic.twitter.com/18MdSfBpsl
---Advertisement---— Air Safety #OTD by Francisco Cunha (@OnDisasters) July 1, 2025
Passengers were forced to remain onboard for over an hour before being allowed to disembark after an emergency landing. Reports suggest that all 191 passengers and crew members onboard survived without physical injuries. However, the emotional toll was immense as if it were their final moments. Eye eyewitness said that some of the passengers even started scripting farewell notes to their friends and relatives.
Passengers Wrote Farewell Notes
According to The Standard, a woman named Wang said the plane became very quiet after the oxygen masks dropped. She said she felt like she was going to die. When she saw the flight attendants almost crying, it made her even more scared.
Another passenger also said that she wrote a farewell note to her husband as the aircraft plunged. Many expressed their shock, fear, and frustration on social media. According to the SCMP report, a passenger described the incident as “violent and abrupt.”
What Happened Next?
The SCMP report added that, following passenger complaints, Spring Airlines Japan has allegedly offered 15,000 yen (approximately $104) in compensation to each passenger.
