The Federal Aviation Administration USA has ordered the immediate stoppage of all flights in the national territory of the Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. This decision is made after one of these devices registered a blowout of its fuselage at 4,800 meters altitude.

It happened during a trip from Portland (Oregon) to Ontario (California). The incident, which left no victims, was recorded by some of the 171 passengers who were on board. The images, examined by the FAA, revealed that the gap had the exact measurements of a part of the fuselage that some models reserve for the optional installation of an emergency exit door.

A witness cited by CNN assures that the fuselage came loose when the plane gained altitude and adds that he did not realize until he was able to remove the oxygen mask. In the middle of a depressurization crisisthe pilots of the plane (operated by Alaska Airlines) decided to turn around in the direction of Portland, where they ended up making a emergency landing. The plane was only in flight for approximately 35 minutes after taking off.

Thus, the activity of these aircraft “is prohibited until inspection and appropriate corrective measures are taken,” in a decision that will affect approximately 171 aircraft. All of them will undergo an analysis, which generally lasts between four to eight hours, before inspectors decide if they are ready to fly again.