A Hong Kong-bound Air Busan airplane caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in South Korea’s second-largest city, Busan, on Tuesday, leading to evacuation of 176 people on board, Yonhap news agency reported.
The incident occurred around 10:30 pm local time (1330 GMT) as the plane was preparing for departure. The flight, bound for Hong Kong, was forced to evacuate 169 passengers and seven flight attendants via inflatable slides. One person was reported injured, but no further details were provided, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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Busan’s fire authorities did not immediately respond to AFP’s request for comment.
This event follows South Korea’s deadliest aviation accident in recent history. On December 29, 2024, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed while attempting to land at Muan, killing 179 of the 181 people on board.
Air Busan’s fleet is made up entirely of Airbus aircraft, according to Flightradar24.
AFP
