The co-pilot of a Sichuan Airlines passenger jet almost lost his life after the cockpit window of the aircraft he was flying in shattered while at altitude, leading to an explosive decompression that almost sucked him out of the jet, according to Chinese state media.
Captain Liu Chuanjian was able to make an emergency landing of his Airbus A319 Monday while on a flight from the southern Chinese city of Chongqing to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet.
"The situation was very critical. The windshield was blown off at a 10,000-meter-high altitude. The aircraft was in a state of low pressure and a temperature was minus 30 to minus 40 degree Celsius," Civil Aviation Administration official Jiang Wenxue told state news outlet Xinhua.
"There was no sign before the windshield burst. Just a huge noise," said Capt. Liu. "When I looked at the other side, the co-pilot was partially blown out of the aircraft. Luckily, he had the belt buckled up. Many devices were malfunctioned and the plane was jolting strongly. It was very difficult to control."
Despite the dramatic incident, the co-pilot escaped with minor scratches and a sprained wrist. A flight attendant serving meals at the time was also injured.
"The crew were level-headed and dealt with the crisis decisively and properly, avoiding a major disaster, which shows the superb technical skills and professionalism," said the CAA.
Source: cnn.com
