A South Korean Air Busan aircraft caught fire on Tuesday night at Gimhae International Airport while preparing for departure to Hong Kong, authorities confirmed.
According to a Reuters report, all 169 passengers and seven crew members on board were safely evacuated, with three sustaining minor injuries, according to Busan’s fire department. Emergency responders were alerted just before 10:30 p.m. after flames ignited inside the plane, reportedly near the tail section.
Video footage from local broadcasters showed evacuation slides deployed on both sides of the single-aisle jet as emergency crews worked to contain the fire. Later images revealed burn damage along the aircraft’s fuselage.
The incident occurred nearly a month after South Korea’s deadliest aviation accident in recent years, when a Jeju Air plane crashed during an emergency landing in Muan, resulting in 179 fatalities.
Air Busan, a budget airline under Asiana Airlines, was recently acquired by Korean Air. Airbus, the manufacturer of the affected A321ceo aircraft, stated that it is in contact with Air Busan regarding the incident. The airline has yet to release an official statement.
