'My soul hasn't caught up': Tokyo-bound Boeing 737 flight's passengers share experience after horror descent

To the horror of the fliers and crew on board, a Boeing 737 flight en route to Tokyo Narita Airport plummeted 26,000 feet in 10 minutes. The Spring Airlines flight, which was travelling from China's Shanghai Pudong Airport and carrying 191 people, made an emergency landing at Kansai Airport, Osaka. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

 

Passengers of flight JL8696 described moments of panic as the incident unfolded. They reported hearing a loud boom before the oxygen masks dropped.

 

A passenger who spoke to news agency AP said, “A flight attendant cried and shouted for everyone to wear their masks, saying there was a malfunction.”

The sudden drop in air pressure caused fear among the passengers, with many thinking the aircraft was about to crash. Some began sharing their experiences on social media as soon as they landed. One passenger recollected: "My body is still here, but my soul hasn't caught up. My legs are still shaking. When you face life or death, everything else feels trivial.”

 

Others wrote wills and farewell notes as the plane descended.

 

According to reports, the aircraft dropped from 36,000 feet to below 10,500 feet in about 10 minutes. Some fliers who were asleep were shaken awake, gasping for breath. Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism stated that the descent occurred after the flight crew received a cabin pressure alert and declared an emergency.

 

Some social media users claimed passengers were kept on board for over an hour after the emergency landing. Spring Airlines has announced it will pay each passenger a compensation of 15,000 yen (approx. US$104) following the complaints.

 

The Boeing 737 and other Boeing models have been subject to numerous safety incidents since 2000, including 12 fatal crashes. Notably, the Air India flight that crashed in Ahmedabad, killing 271 people on board, was a Boeing 787.

 

In 2024, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, killing 179 passengers—only two crew members survived. In 2022, a China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-800 crash resulted in the deaths of all 132 people on board.

 

World