On June 30, what was meant to be an uneventful journey from Shanghai to Tokyo became a harrowing experience for 191 people aboard Japan Airlines Flight JL8696, operated by Spring Japan. The passengers of the Boeing 737-800 went to hell and came back as their aircraft suddenly plunged more than 26,000 feet in under ten minutes.
Some described the moment as deeply traumatic. 'My legs are still shaking. I really thought I was going to die,' one passenger told the South China Morning Post. Oxygen masks dropped from the ceiling. Some passengers drafted goodbye messages. Others braced for impact.
