An Alaska Airlines flight turned into a nightmare when a section of the plane exploded mid-flight, sucking in passengers’ belongings and forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing in Portland.
The plane bound for Ontario, California, took off from Portland International Airport at 4:52 p.m. on Friday, but returned just 35 minutes later following the ordeal, according to data from flight tracking website Flight Aware.
Shortly after takeoff, the flight, which had 171 passengers and 6 crew members on board, “experienced an incident,” Alaska Airlines said in a statement, without providing further details.
Passengers described the chaos as people’s mobile phones and belongings were sucked into the plane’s gaping hole.
One passenger told KPTV that his mother had to restrain a child in his seat.
The hole in the side of the plane is seen after the Alaskan Airlines flight returned to Portland Friday night. FOX 12 An exterior view of the plane and the missing part that lost its panel during the flight on January 5, 2024. KPTV FOX 12/YouTube
The same boy who was sitting closest to the damaged part of the plane lost his shirt and his skin turned red from the wind.
Photos obtained by KTPV showed the huge chunk missing from the plane’s fuselage.
Immediately after the piece exploded, passengers deployed and used oxygen masks while waiting for the plane to land, several on board who declined to give their names told the outlet.
The pilot’s recordings of the flight captured the moments after the piece of the plane flew off, depressurizing the cabin.
Immediately after the piece exploded, passengers deployed and used oxygen masks while waiting for the plane to land. KPTV FOX 12/YouTube
“Portland Approach, Alaska Emergency 1282! The plane is now level 12,000 in a left turn heading three four zero,” an Alaska Airlines pilot said, according to the outlet.
“We are in an emergency, we are depressurized, we do need to return, we have 177 passengers. Fuel is eighteen eight,” the pilot shouted to air traffic control after being granted clearance to descend to a lower altitude.
The fire department responded to the plane after it landed and treated minor injuries.
Alaskan Airlines Flight 1282 made an emergency landing in Portland after a window apparently exploded in midair. davealan
One person was transported from the scene for further medical evaluation, the Port of Portland told KPTV.
The plane made a safe emergency landing at the Portland airport, American Airlines and airport officials confirmed.
The Boeing 737-9 Max was recently built and obtained its airworthiness certificate on October 25, 2023, FAA registration records indicate.
Alaska Airlines temporarily grounded its entire Boeing 737-9 fleet on Friday night.
“Following tonight’s event on Flight 1282, we have decided to take the precautionary measure of temporarily grounding our fleet of 65 Boeing 737-9 aircraft,” Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said in a statement obtained by ThePost. “Each aircraft will return to service only after completing full maintenance and safety inspections.”
“We are working with Boeing and regulators to understand what occurred tonight and will share updates as more information becomes available.”
Alaska Airlines said it is investigating and will release more information as it becomes available.
“My heart goes out to those who were on this flight; I am very sorry for what you experienced. “I am very grateful for the response of our pilots and flight attendants,” Minicucci added.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn