Recent investigations suggest that a malfunctioning power bank may have sparked a fire that resulted in a plane's destruction and three injuries in South Korea.
Power bank suspected in South Korean plane fire incident
Power bank suspected in South Korean plane fire incident
Authorities confirm a faulty power bank likely triggered the inflight blaze at Gimhae International Airport.
The portable device is believed to have caused the blaze that engulfed an Air Busan aircraft at Gimhae International Airport on January 28, resulting in minor injuries for three people on board. According to the interim report released by South Korea's transport ministry, investigators found that insulation inside the power bank's battery likely broke down, triggering the fire in the luggage compartment where it was located. The report emphasized that these findings are preliminary and do not constitute a conclusive accident report for the Airbus A321ceo, involved in the incident.
The presence of lithium-ion batteries in portable power banks has raised safety concerns globally, prompting airlines to ban their inclusion in checked luggage for years, due to the potential for extreme heat and fire caused by faulty batteries. Since 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organisation has mandated the prohibition of such batteries in passenger plane cargo holds. Following the incident, Air Busan reinforced its regulations, prohibiting passengers from storing power banks in their cabin luggage, citing an uptick in overheating incidents. Several other international airlines, including China Airlines and Thai Airways, are adopting similar regulations, with Singapore Airlines announcing they will implement a ban on power banks from April 1. Additionally, the South Korean government mandated that travelers must carry portable chargers with them instead of storing them overhead on flights.
The presence of lithium-ion batteries in portable power banks has raised safety concerns globally, prompting airlines to ban their inclusion in checked luggage for years, due to the potential for extreme heat and fire caused by faulty batteries. Since 2016, the International Civil Aviation Organisation has mandated the prohibition of such batteries in passenger plane cargo holds. Following the incident, Air Busan reinforced its regulations, prohibiting passengers from storing power banks in their cabin luggage, citing an uptick in overheating incidents. Several other international airlines, including China Airlines and Thai Airways, are adopting similar regulations, with Singapore Airlines announcing they will implement a ban on power banks from April 1. Additionally, the South Korean government mandated that travelers must carry portable chargers with them instead of storing them overhead on flights.
