Terror in the skies: Alaska Airlines flight horror as fuselage rips apart mid-air!

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NEW YORK, Jan 6: In a harrowing incident, a passenger aboard an Alaska Airlines flight departing from Portland, Oregon, shared the heart-stopping moment when a window and a portion of the fuselage were blown out shortly after take-off. The incident occurred on a Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft, just minutes into the flight to Ontario, California.

Evan Smith, a passenger on the flight, recounted the terrifying experience, stating that a loud bang was followed by a whooshing sound, prompting the immediate deployment of oxygen masks. According to Smith, a boy and his mother seated in the affected row experienced the forceful impact, causing the boy’s shirt to be torn off and sucked out of the plane.

Photographs and videos captured by passengers revealed a substantial hole in the side of the aircraft next to passenger seats, with oxygen masks hanging down. In response to the incident, Alaska Airlines has grounded all of its Boeing 737-9 MAX planes due to the depressurization caused by the damage to the cabin.

The Boeing 737-9 MAX, which had entered service just two months ago, was diverted and made an emergency landing at Portland International Airport after reaching 16,000 feet. The flight tracking data from FlightAware indicated that the diversion occurred about six minutes after take-off at 5:07 pm, with the emergency landing executed at 5:26 pm.

Alaska Airlines reported that all 171 passengers and six crew members on board the flight landed safely. While the company provided no details on injuries, local reports mentioned that the fire department responded, treating minor injuries at the scene, with one person taken for treatment but not seriously hurt.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the plane landed safely after the crew reported a pressurization issue, and an investigation will be conducted. Interior footage and photos revealed the night sky visible through the hole, with a missing cushion from the nearest seat and insulation material around the gap.

The National Transport Safety Board is actively investigating the incident, and the British Civil Aviation Authority is closely monitoring the situation. Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci stated that the entire fleet of 65 Boeing 737-9 MAX aircraft would undergo comprehensive maintenance and safety inspections before being returned to service, anticipating completion within days.

This incident comes in the wake of Boeing’s recent advisory to inspect all 737 MAX planes for a potential loose bolt in the rudder control system. The FAA is closely overseeing these inspections and has not ruled out additional actions based on the findings. The Boeing 737 MAX had previously faced a year-and-a-half grounding after two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.

This news has been read 1084 times!