A power bank short circuit is suspected of setting off a major fire in an Air Busan A321 aircraft which destroyed the plane before take off at Gimhae International Airport.
Passengers had to be evacuated using inflatable slides and as many as 169 passengers of the Hong Kong bound flight and seven flight attendants were moved to safety.
A total of seven individuals were injured in the incident, South Korea's transport ministry said.
A retired engineering professor, Lo Kok Keung said: 'If it creates a short circuit it can create a high temperature and burn the internal materials and create a fire - which can burn clothing in the baggage,' South China Morning Post reported.
As investigations into the incident continue, local media reports suggest that a power bank stowed in an overhead locker set off the fire.
According to the traffic accidents expert, passengers should check their power banks to ensure they are in good condition and avoid bringing old ones on board.
The internal insulator or wires inside older power banks could wear down over time, which could cause a short circuit, Mr Lo added.
Deputy chairman of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers' aircraft division Warren Chim Wing Nin said passengers should cover all connection points on power banks when not in use to avoid short circuits.
He added, 'If it is not a good product, of course, the risk will be much higher.'
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), power banks are forbidden from checked luggage as they are considered 'spare lithium batteries.'
Air India travel advisory states that power banks are considered spare batteries. Passengers can carry a maximum of 2 spare batteries with them provided these power banks are packed individually to prevent short circuits.
SeaNews Turkey
Passengers had to be evacuated using inflatable slides and as many as 169 passengers of the Hong Kong bound flight and seven flight attendants were moved to safety.
A total of seven individuals were injured in the incident, South Korea's transport ministry said.
A retired engineering professor, Lo Kok Keung said: 'If it creates a short circuit it can create a high temperature and burn the internal materials and create a fire - which can burn clothing in the baggage,' South China Morning Post reported.
As investigations into the incident continue, local media reports suggest that a power bank stowed in an overhead locker set off the fire.
According to the traffic accidents expert, passengers should check their power banks to ensure they are in good condition and avoid bringing old ones on board.
The internal insulator or wires inside older power banks could wear down over time, which could cause a short circuit, Mr Lo added.
Deputy chairman of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers' aircraft division Warren Chim Wing Nin said passengers should cover all connection points on power banks when not in use to avoid short circuits.
He added, 'If it is not a good product, of course, the risk will be much higher.'
According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), power banks are forbidden from checked luggage as they are considered 'spare lithium batteries.'
Air India travel advisory states that power banks are considered spare batteries. Passengers can carry a maximum of 2 spare batteries with them provided these power banks are packed individually to prevent short circuits.
SeaNews Turkey
