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A fire erupted in the rear section of an Air Busan passenger plane at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, leading to an emergency evacuation of 176 individuals, including passengers and flight staff.
The Incident
The aircraft, an Airbus A321, was preparing for a scheduled flight to Hong Kong when the fire broke out at approximately 10:15 PM local time, according to a statement from South Korea’s transport ministry.
There were 169 passengers and seven flight attendants and crew members on board the plane. All were safely evacuated through inflatable slides, as authorities reported.
Air Busan Flight: Cause of the Fire
The transport ministry has yet to release details about the cause of the fire, except to confirm that it originated in the rear section of the aircraft.
The National Fire Agency of South Korea confirmed that three individuals suffered slight injuries during the evacuation process. Thankfully, the fire was fully extinguished by 11:31 PM local time, minimizing further harm.
Previous Tragedy in South Korea
This incident comes just a month after the country experienced its worst aviation disaster in recent history. On December 29, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, flying from Thailand to Muan, crash-landed and exploded after striking a concrete barrier. The crash tragically claimed the lives of 179 out of the 181 people on board.
Air Busan and Airbus A321 Details
Air Busan, a budget airline, operates under the umbrella of Asiana Airlines, which was acquired by Korean Air in December 2024. The Airbus A321 involved in Tuesday’s incident is a 17-year-old model, identified with the tail number HL7763. Flight tracking data from FlightRadar24 lists Air Busan’s fleet as exclusively consisting of Airbus aircraft.
Airbus has acknowledged the incident, with the plane manufacturer stating that it is in contact with Air Busan to offer support and gather further information. The company’s team is working closely with the airline to understand the cause and resolve the situation.
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