Lithium battery ignites on flight in mid-air, horrifying passengers as flames burst out in cabin
A lithium battery inside a passenger’s carry-on luggage erupted in flames during a flight from China to South Korea on Saturday. NBC News
A packed Air China flight to Seoul made an emergency landing in Shanghai on Saturday after a lithium battery inside a passenger’s carry-on bag caught fire, filling the cabin with smoke.
Flight CA139 had departed Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport at 9:47 a.m. local time, carrying 160 passengers and crew en route to Incheon International Airport in South Korea. According to Air China and Chinese state media, a lithium battery stored in an overhead compartment “spontaneously ignited.”
The crew acted quickly, and no one was injured. The airline said the plane was diverted to Shanghai Pudong International Airport “to ensure flight safety.”
Videos shared on Chinese social media showed flames and thick smoke pouring from an overhead bin as passengers shouted. Flight attendants rushed down the aisle with fire extinguishers while instructing travelers to stay seated.
A passenger told local media they heard a loud explosion moments before flames erupted. Photos online showed scorched cabin lining above several rows of seats. The plane landed safely in Shanghai around 11 a.m., and passengers were later transferred to a replacement jet bound for Seoul.
While no injuries occurred and the aircraft sustained no structural damage, passengers described moments of confusion as smoke spread through the cabin. Local reports suggest the battery may have been a power bank, though details on the brand or manufacturer were not confirmed.
This incident follows several similar lithium-battery fires on Asian airlines this year. In May, a China Southern Airlines flight returned to Hangzhou after smoke emerged from a passenger’s camera battery and power bank. In January, a spare power bank likely caused a fire on an Air Busan flight in South Korea, resulting in minor injuries to seven people.
The Federal Aviation Administration warns that lithium-ion batteries can overheat or explode if damaged, overcharged, or exposed to water. Common in devices like smartphones, laptops, tablets, and portable chargers, such batteries are restricted in checked luggage worldwide.
The TSA requires passengers to keep lithium batteries under 100 watt-hours in carry-on bags. China recently tightened rules, banning uncertified power banks on domestic flights, and Hong Kong now prohibits storing power banks in overhead bins, requiring them to remain under seats or in seat pockets.
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