Japan Airlines flight plunges 26,000 feet mid-air after cabin pressure failure: Reports

Japan: A Japan Airlines flight, on June 30, 2025, was forced to deploy oxygen mask to passengers while in the air with the staff announcing that the plane had a ‘malfunction’. According to the information, the announcement was made after the Boeing 737 plane dropped nearly 26,000 feet. 

While recalling the horrific incident, a passengers said that the stewardess cried and shouted to put on the oxygen mask saying the plane suffered a malfunction. 

Reportedly, the incident took place on Monday as a plane which was operating under a codeshare agreement between Japan Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary Spring Japan departed from Shanghai Pudong Airport in China and was bound for Japan’s Tokyo Narita Airport.  

At the time of the incident, there were 191 passengers including crew members aboard when it suddenly experienced a mid-air mechanical issue. Soon after that, the aircraft descended from around 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet within just 10 minutes, at around 6:53 pm local time.  

Soon after the announcement, passengers feared that the plane would crash as oxygen masks were released amid fears that the change in pressure levels could potentially cause some people to lose consciousness.  

According to a passenger, they heard a muffled boom, and the oxygen mask fell off within a few seconds, causing panic among the passengers. 

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism raised an alert indicating abnormality in the pressurization system amid the descent. The plane was immediately diverted to Japan’s Kansai International Airport in Osaka as the pilot declared an emergency to air traffic control. 

The airline also emphasised that no injuries were reported to any passenger when the aircraft landed in Osaka at around 8:50 pm local time. 

Moreover, the passengers were also compensated as they were provided 15,000 yen ($93) in transportation compensation as well as one night of accommodation.