An Alaska Airlines flight made an emergency landing in the US city of Oregon on Friday after a window and chunk of its fuselage blew out in mid-air, media reports said.
A passenger sent a local media outlet 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 airline said it was investigating what happened.
BREAKING: Alaska Airlines plane makes emergency landing in Portland, Oregon after window blows out in mid-air.Several items, including phones, were sucked out of the plane when it suddenly depressurized. Everyone is safe. pic.twitter.com/BtOB1RU3tn
— BNO News (@BNONews) January 6, 2024
“Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, experienced an incident this evening soon after departure,” the company said in an emailed statement to The Associated Press. “The aircraft landed safely back at Portland International Airport with 174 guests and 6 crew members.”
4,876 meters High
The company said it would share more information when it became available. The flight left Portland at 4:52 p.m. but returned just before 5:30 p.m. The plane rose as high as 16,000 feet during the flight and then began descending, according to data on the flight tracking website FlightAware.
Local media reported photos sent in by a passenger showed a large section of the airplane’s fuselage was missing. The FAA did not immediately respond to an email request for information by AP.
The Boeing 737-9 MAX rolled off the assembly line and received its certification just two months ago, according to online FAA records. The US National Transportation Safety Board said in a post on X, that it was investigating an event on the flight and would post updates when they are available.
(With agency inputs)
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