Passengers on a Japan Airlines flight had to wear oxygen masks

A plane operating under a codeshare agreement between Japan Airlines and its low-cost subsidiary, Spring Japan, with the flight number JL8696/IJ004 departed from Shanghai Pudong Airport in China bound for Tokyo Narita Airport in Japan, according to Kyodo News, The Standard and South China Morning Post.

There were 191 passengers and crew onboard the plane when it suddenly experienced a mid-air mechanical issue, per the Associated Press. The aircraft rapidly descended from approximately 36,000 feet to just under 10,500 feet within 10 minutes, at approximately 6:53 p.m. local time.

Passengers feared the plane would crash as oxygen masks were released amid fears the change in pressure levels could cause some people to lose consciousness, according to AP.

“I heard a muffled boom, and the oxygen mask fell off in a few seconds. The stewardess cried and shouted to put on the oxygen mask, saying the plane had a malfunction,” one passenger told the news agency.

“I heard a muffled boom, and the oxygen mask fell off in a few seconds. The stewardess cried and shouted to put on the oxygen mask, saying the plane had a malfunction,” one passenger told the news agency.

Suddenly, all the oxygen masks popped open while I was sleeping,” another said.