Alaska Airlines has grounded 65 of its Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft after one of its planes lost a section of fuselage mid-flight, forcing an emergency landing in Oregon, USA. The airline later returned some of the jets to service after inspections found 'no concerning findings'.
The incident occurred on Friday when Flight 1282, carrying 177 passengers and crew, had to make an emergency descent from 16,000 feet after a loud bang and a rush of air. Passengers reported that a child's shirt was sucked out of the plane and a mobile phone was taken from a man's hand by the wind.
Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci apologised to those affected, stating that each aircraft would only return to service after full maintenance and safety inspections. Over a quarter of the grounded planes have been inspected and cleared, with no issues found.
The affected section of fuselage is an area that can be used as an additional emergency exit door by some operators, but not by Alaska Airlines. The UK Civil Aviation Authority said it was monitoring the situation closely, while Boeing confirmed it was aware of the incident and supporting the investigation.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating. Aviation expert John Strickland noted that this incident is very different from the two fatal crashes that grounded the 737 Max in 2019, and that the aircraft has had a 'very good safety record' since returning to service.
