Passenger Plane Catches Fire before Takeoff in South Korea, All 176 People Evacuated Safely

A passenger plane caught fire before takeoff at an airport in South Korea late Tuesday, but all 176 people on board were safely evacuated. The Airbus A321, operated by Air Busan, was preparing to fly to Hong Kong when the fire started in the rear part of the plane at Gimhae International Airport, located in the southeast of the country.

The 169 passengers, six crew members, and one engineer quickly evacuated the plane using escape slides. Three people suffered minor injuries during the evacuation, but no serious harm was reported. Firefighters arrived at the scene and successfully put out the fire about an hour later at 11:31 p.m.

The cause of the fire is still unknown, and the Transport Ministry is investigating. This incident comes just one month after a deadly crash involving a Jeju Air flight at Muan International Airport, which resulted in the deaths of 179 people. Authorities are also still investigating that crash and have found traces of bird strikes in the engines, although the exact cause remains unclear.