Passengers Write Farewell Notes as Boeing Plane Plunges 8,000M in 10 Minutes

You should know that incidents involving Boeing planes are actually pretty common. 

One such dreaded occasion saw panic quickly descending on a Japanese flight when a sudden cabin pressure failure sent the plane plunging over 8,000 meters in just 10 minutes. 

Flight JL8696 was flying from Shanghai, China to Tokyo on June 30 when its pressurization system malfunctioned. 

The Boeing 737-800, operated by Spring Airlines Japan and carrying 191 passengers and crew, dropped from 11,700 meters to 3,000 meters in a rapid emergency descent, Kyodo News reported. 

Japan Airlines, the parent company, declared the following day that no one was hurt, but admitted people were screaming as oxygen masks dropped. 

One passenger recalled, "My soul almost left my body. My legs were shaking. Facing death, everything else felt meaningless".

Another said they heard a loud noise before masks deployed and flight attendants shouted at everyone to put them on. 

Some passengers were so terrified they wrote farewell notes, sharing insurance details and bank PINs with family. 

The plane made an emergency landing at Kansai Airport in Osaka, Japan where passengers remained onboard for over an hour. Each was reportedly compensated ¥15,000 ($104) and given hotel accommodation, according to South China Morning Post. 

On Tuesday, the low-cost carrier promptly cancelled a number of Shanghai–Tokyo flights for safety inspections. And Japan Airlines confirm they're investigating the cause.