06 January 2024 , 08:17
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Alaska Airlines has grounded their entire fleet of Boeing Max-9 aircraft after a window exploded mid-flight forcing one of their planes into an emergency landing.
It landed at Portland International Airport after "a large window section of the aircraft blew out in mid-air," according to several passengers. The National Transportation Safety Board has confirmed it is investigating.
A statement from the airlines CEO Ben Minicucci read: "At Alaska Airlines, safety is our foundational value and the most important thing we focus on every day. Following tonight's event on Flight 1282, we have decided to take the precautionary step of temporarily grounding our fleet of 65 Boeing MAX-9 aircraft. Each aircraft will be returned to service only after completion of full maintenance and safety inspections. We anticipate all inspections will be completed in the next few days."
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The incident occurred shortly after takeoff and the gaping hole caused the cabin to depressurize. Flight data showed the plane climbed to 16,000 feet (4,876 meters) before returning to Portland International Airport.
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The airline provided no immediate information about whether anyone was injured or the possible cause. The plane was diverted about six minutes after taking off at 5:07 pm, according to flight tracking data from the FlightAware website. It landed at 5:26 pm.
(UKNIP)
(kptv)Dramatic photos sent to Fox News by a passenger show a large section of the airplane’s window missing. Other passengers said the flight was headed from PDX to Ontario, California. It departed Portland at 4:40 p.m. and was back in Portland around 5:30 p.m.
There were 171 passengers and six crew members on board at the time. The flight was on its way from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California.
(FOX 12)The statement from Mr Minicucci continued: "I am personally committed to doing everything we can to conduct this review in a timely and transparent way. We are working with Boeing and regulators to understand what occurred tonight, and will share updates as more information is available. The NTSB is investigating this event and we will fully support their investigation.
(FOX 12)"My heart goes out to those who were on this flight - I am so sorry for what you experienced. I am so grateful for the response of our pilots and flight attendants. We have teams on the ground in Portland assisting passengers and are working to support guests who are traveling in the days ahead."
The window on the plane was completely blown out (Elizabeth/CBS news)
(UKNIP)According to the Alaska Airlines website: "An updated version of the world’s most-flown aircraft, the Boeing 737-9 MAX features new fuel-efficient engines, which allow us to fly further and quieter––all while reducing carbon emissions."