On Jan. 28, an on-board fire destroyed an Air Busan aircraft at Gimhae Airport in South Korea bound for Hong Kong. Fortunately, there were no casualties, and passengers were safely escorted off the plane.
The aircraft caught on fire shortly before take-off, South Korean authorities are currently investigating the cause of the fire.
Airline officials have strong suspicions that the fire originated from a portable power bank, as lithium batteries have a reputation for igniting. However, there has been no confirmation on what caused it to occur.
The airline has announced that it will place restrictions on how mobile power banks should be properly stowed. Beginning on Feb. 7, all passengers will be required to carry their portable power banks close to their person so any ignition incidents can be quickly identified and resolved.
Following the airline’s new regulation, aviation experts may call for a standardized approach to possibly apply this regulation to other airlines as well.
