South Korea jet carrying 176 passengers erupts in flames as airport evacuated
A massive fire has broken out on an Air Busan passenger aircraft at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, forcing the emergency evacuation of 176 people on board.
The blaze erupted as the aircraft was preparing for take-off, prompting immediate action from emergency services.
Emergency services rushed to Gimhae International Airport after the blaze broke out at 10.30pm (1.30pm GMT).
The flames were successfully extinguished after three people were reported injured in the incident
Fire authorities confirmed that one person was taken to hospital with a minor injury.
Dramatic footage shared across social media platforms captured scenes of fire and smoke billowing from the stricken aircraft.
Korean media outlets claimed the flames were seen spreading towards the fuselage, with fire services currently at the scene.
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The A321 aircraft had been scheduled to fly from Busan to Hong Kong before the incident occurred.
The emergency comes just one month after South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster, when a Jeju aircraft crashed during an emergency landing at Muan Airport.
The Jeju plane, which had been travelling from Bangkok, crashed on the runway.
All but two of the 181 people on board were killed on the December 29 crash.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of last month’s tragic incident.
A preliminary investigation report published this week found that duck feathers were found in both the aircraft’s engines.