A fire aboard an Air Busan plane at Gimhae International Airport resulted in the emergency evacuation of 176 individuals, with four reported injuries. This incident occurred shortly after a recent major aviation tragedy in South Korea, and an investigation into the fire's cause is underway.
Air Busan Aircraft Fire at Gimhae International Airport Sparks Emergency Evacuation
Air Busan Aircraft Fire at Gimhae International Airport Sparks Emergency Evacuation
A fire on an Air Busan aircraft during a pre-flight check leads to the evacuation of all passengers and crew, raising concerns in the wake of a recent aviation disaster.
An Airbus aircraft operated by Air Busan has caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, sparking an emergency evacuation of all 176 individuals on board. As reported by fire authorities, the fire erupted at the tail of the plane heading to Hong Kong shortly before its scheduled takeoff on Tuesday evening. The evacuation saw the use of inflatable slides, leading to injuries for four people during the escape.
The blaze began at approximately 22:26 local time, with firefighters arriving on the scene just eight minutes later to combat the flames that had spread to the fuselage. Visuals from the incident depict firefighters dousing the burning aircraft with water in an effort to manage the fire.
The incident is particularly alarming as it follows a tragic aviation accident just weeks earlier, where a Jeju Air aircraft crash-landed at Muan airport, resulting in the deaths of 179 individuals, with only two survivors. Concerns about the safety of air travel in South Korea have heightened in light of these events.
The investigation into the fire's cause is ongoing, and Air Busan, a budget airline under the umbrella of Asiana Airlines, is expected to cooperate fully with authorities. Gimhae International Airport is located roughly 315km (195 miles) southeast of Seoul, the capital of South Korea.
