This is just the latest example of the media intentionally trying to make more out of something that is basically meaningless. For reasons still not known for sure... an emergency exit that was not secured came loose when the plane reached an altitude where the difference in air pressure was able to open it.
It was likely a problem caused by incompetent maintenance personnel, but a design flaw or sabotage could also have been responsible.
Personally, I believe these types of safety exits have a built-in limitation that can be dangerous to people on the ground... the lack of hinges. Breathless reporting would be greatly reduced if the story was that a door was left unlocked and came open.
It wasn’t a door. It was a station on the fuselage where a door could optionally be installed.
There wasn’ta door there.
There’s a place on the fuselage where the manufacturer can attach an emergency exit panel, or a panel with a window. The airline chose the window panel.
Apparently somebody failed to properly attach the panel to the fuselage, resulting in the whole panel coming off.
The pressure warnings were probably from the panel being loose and causing air to leak out.