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Alaska Airlines's passengers recall mid-air horror, after window mishap a child was almost sucked out
Alaska Airlines' terrifying mid-air emergency captured on camera as a window blows out on a Boeing 737, leaving a gaping hole. Eye witness recounts their story.
A spine-chilling incident occurred on Friday when a part of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 plane’s body and a window blowout in the air, forcing the flight to make an emergency landing in Oregon.
One of the passengers on board captured a shocking image of the damage and shared it with a local media outlet. The photo revealed a large hole in the side of the plane, near the passenger seats, from where the shine of Portland is peeping.
The airline did not confirm if anyone was hurt in the incident. It said it was looking into the cause of the problem. “Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, experienced an incident this evening soon after departure,” the airline said in an email to The Associated Press.
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“The aircraft landed safely back at Portland International Airport with 174 guests and 6 crew members.”
4,876 Meters high
The airline added that it would provide more details as they become available. The flight took off from Portland at 4:52 p.m. and returned shortly before 5:30 p.m. FlightAware, a website that tracks flights, showed that the plane reached an altitude of 16,000 feet before descending rapidly.
A child was almost sucked out
Other photos from the passenger showed that a significant portion of the plane’s body was missing. Passengers reported the occupied seat next to the window was sucked out. A child was almost sucked out due to decompression who was sitting near the window.
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Passengers were using oxygen musk
Videos capturing the incident have swiftly circulated across the internet, depicting passengers securing their oxygen masks and fastening seat belts after an emergency was declared mid-flight.
Many passengers lost their phones due to suction.
The plane involved in the incident was a Boeing 737-9 MAX, a model that was certified by the FAA just two months ago, according to online records. The National Transportation Safety Board said on X that it was investigating the event and would post updates when they are available.
