In a nerve-racking incident, a Boeing 737-800 passenger plane was compelled to return to its departure airport in Japan after the discovery of a crack in the cockpit window while mid-air. The flight, operated by All Nippon Airways (ANA), was en route from Sapporo to Toyama when the unexpected situation occurred.

The crack was found on the outermost of four layers of windows that surround the cockpit, according to a spokesperson for the Japanese airline. Noticing the crack, the pilots made the swift decision to turn the aircraft around and head back to Sapporo for the safety of all onboard.

Upon landing, the ANA flight was thoroughly inspected by maintenance teams to assess the severity of the crack and ensure the continued airworthiness of the plane. It is not yet clear what caused the crack, and investigations are ongoing.

This incident comes on the heels of another aviation mishap on January 2, where a passenger plane caught fire on the runway at Tokyo's Haneda Airport after a collision with a Japanese Coast Guard jet.

The rapid response and professional handling of the situation by the ANA crew have been commended. However, the incident has raised concerns about the safety of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft, a model that has seen its share of controversies in recent years.

As investigations continue, passengers can only hope for a swift resolution to ensure such incidents do not recur, and their faith in the aviation industry remains unshaken.