An Alaska Airlines flight made an emergency landing in Oregon on Friday after a window and a chunk of its fuselage blew out in mid-air shortly after takeoff.
A passenger sent KATU-TV a photo showing a gaping hole in the side of the airplane next to passenger seats. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured.
The plane, carrying 174 passengers and six crew members, landed safely after the incident. The flight was Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, traveling from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California.
The Federal Aviation Administration stated that the crew reported a pressurization issue, leading to the emergency landing. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the event.
Photos sent by a passenger revealed a significant portion of the airplane’s fuselage was missing. The Boeing 737-9 MAX, which entered service in May 2017, recently obtained its certification.
Boeing acknowledged the incident and expressed willingness to cooperate with the investigation, stating that it was aware of the event and working to gather more information.
The incident raises concerns about the safety of the Boeing 737-9 MAX, which is the newest version of the popular 737 model used extensively for domestic flights in the United States. The plane had been on 145 flights since starting commercial service on November 11.
Passengers and aviation experts alike await further updates regarding the cause of the incident, hoping for reassurance that the necessary measures will be taken to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Safety is of paramount importance in the airline industry, and incidents like these underscore the need for thorough investigations and rigorous enforcement of safety protocols.
