An Air Busan Airbus aircraft experienced a terrifying moment on Tuesday night at Gimhae International Airport in South Korea. As the plane prepared for takeoff to Hong Kong, a fire erupted in the rear section. Thankfully, all 176 individuals on board – 169 passengers, six crew members, and one engineer – were safely evacuated using the emergency slide.
While the evacuation was largely successful, the National Fire Agency reported three minor injuries. Firefighters swiftly responded and extinguished the blaze approximately an hour after it was first reported.
The image above shows Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon and other officials at the scene following the incident. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation. The aircraft involved is an A321 model.
This incident follows a devastating crash just a month earlier involving a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 at Muan International Airport. That accident, which resulted in nearly all passengers losing their lives, is considered one of the deadliest in South Korean aviation history. Initial investigations into the December crash indicated potential bird strikes in the engines, but the official cause remains undetermined.
