Nightmare in the skies as section of plane blown off Alaska Airlines aircraft
The terrifying scene was like something out of a movie: Alaska Airlines passengers strapped to their seats, breathing into oxygen masks as the wind rushed into the cabin through a gaping hole in the wall.
On January 5, Alaska Airlines flight 1282 was travelling from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, with 171 guests and six crew members onboard. However, a window and a section of the Boeing 737-9 aircraft blew out during the flight, forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Portland, Oregon, reports NPR.
One passenger said that a child near the damaged part of the plane lost his shirt due to the sudden depressurization, reports FOX 12 Oregon. The child was also held down in his seat by his mother.
There were no reported injuries.
The incident was caught on video.
@strawberr.vy Girls’ trip turned into emergency landing trip… #alaska #alaskaair ♬ original sound – vy 🍓
“My heart goes out to those who were on this flight — I am so sorry for what you experienced,” stated Ben Minicucci, CEO of Alaska Airlines. “I am so grateful for the response of our pilots and flight attendants. We have teams on the ground in Portland assisting passengers and are working to support guests who are travelling in the days ahead.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident.
Update: NTSB has launched a Go Team to Portland, Oregon to investigate an event with a Boeing 737-9 MAX during a flight from Portland to Ontario, California. No serious injuries were reported. https://t.co/VK0xF487xo
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) January 6, 2024
Minicucci stated that the airline is grounding their fleet of 65 Boeing MAX-9 aircraft as a precautionary step.
“Each aircraft will be returned to service only after completion of full maintenance and safety inspections,” stated Minicucci.
Boeing Airplanes tweeted that they’re aware of the incident and are supporting the investigation.
We are aware of the incident involving Alaska Airlines Flight #AS1282. We are working to gather more information and are in contact with our airline customer. A Boeing technical team stands ready to support the investigation.
— Boeing Airplanes (@BoeingAirplanes) January 6, 2024
Minicucci said, “I am personally committed to doing everything we can to conduct this review in a timely and transparent way.”
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