8 sent to hospital after power bank catches fire on T’way Air flight
Eight people have been transported to the hospital after a portable power bank caught fire on a T’way Air flight travelling from China to South Korea on Saturday (10 Jan) early morning.
Smoke billowed from device in passenger’s carry-on bag
Cheongju-bound T’way Air flight TW634 departed from Sanya, Hainan Province, at approximately 2.10am.
The aircraft had six crew members and 32 passengers on board.
During the flight, smoke began billowing from a carry-on bag belonging to a passenger who was seated near the front of the cabin.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
T’way Air explained that cabin crew immediately removed the device and followed emergency protocols by submerging it in water.
The flight landed safely at Cheongju International Airport at 6.37am, approximately 40 minutes ahead of its scheduled arrival time.
Passengers, cabin crew sent to hospital after inhaling smoke
Following the landing, eight individuals, including five passengers and the three flight attendants who were first responders, were conveyed to a nearby hospital for smoke inhalation.
Source: Vitalii Petrushenko on Canva. Image for illustration purposes only.
All passengers have since been discharged and have returned home.
Authorities investigating matter
The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport stated that they will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
This will include verifying the capacity of the power bank and determining whether it complied with carry-on regulations.
An earlier advisory shared by the airline states that power banks with a capacity of more than 160Wh are prohibited on board.
Source: @twayair_singapore on Instagram
Passengers are also not allowed to place these devices in the cabin’s overhead compartment.
These regulations were effective as of 1 March 2025.
Also read: Power bank catches fire on Scoot flight from Hong Kong, extinguished by cabin crew
Power bank catches fire on Scoot flight from Hong Kong, extinguished by cabin crew
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Featured image adapted from Wikimedia Commons.
Power bank catches fire on flight from China to South Korea, 8 sent to hospital
