In brief
A sudden fire at Gimhae International Airport forces emergency procedures for all on board a flight to Hong Kong.
In a dramatic incident on Tuesday evening, an Air Busan Airbus aircraft caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, compelling the evacuation of all 176 passengers and crew members shortly before its scheduled departure to Hong Kong. Fire agencies reported that the blaze initiated at the tail section of the aircraft, rapidly advancing towards the fuselage.Witnesses recounted scenes of chaos as emergency slides were deployed, enabling evacuees to exit the aircraft swiftly. Four people sustained minor injuries during the evacuation. Firefighters responded promptly, arriving at the scene within eight minutes of the alert and quickly commencing efforts to extinguish the flames that erupted around 22:26 local time (13:26 GMT).Images from the scene captured the urgent firefighting efforts, showing streams of water engulfing the burning aircraft. There were 169 passengers and seven crew members aboard during the incident. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.This recent occurrence comes just weeks after a tragic plane crash involving a Jeju Air flight at Muan airport, which resulted in 179 fatalities. Air Busan, the budget airline operating the aircraft, is a subsidiary of Asiana Airlines, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the South Korean aviation sector.Gimhae International Airport is situated approximately 315 kilometers (195 miles) southeast of Seoul, South Korea's capital. As the investigation unfolds, the aviation community and the public await further updates on safety protocols and the causes behind this alarming event.
