PUBLISHED ONOctober 19, 2025 5:45 AMBYSyarifah Nadhirah

A flight en route from Hangzhou, China, to South Korea’s Incheon International Airport on Oct 18 was diverted to Shanghai after a fire broke out in the cabin.

A lithium battery stowed in a passenger’s carry-on luggage in the overhead compartment had caught fire, the airline said in a statement on Weibo.

“The crew immediately handled the situation according to procedures, and no one was injured,” they said.

They added that the plane was diverted for an unscheduled landing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport to “ensure flight safety”.

In a video circulating social media, flames could be seen emitting from the overhead compartment as black smoke began filling the cabin. Passengers appeared to panic as crew members rushed to handle the blaze. 

An eyewitness reported hearing an explosion and seeing sparks from the overhead storage compartment, according to Red Star News.  

Earlier in February, South Korea’s transport ministry announced limits to the number and type of portable batteries allowed on flights after an Air Busan plane caught fire on Jan 28 at Gimhae International Airport.

Under the new safety measures passengers are permitted to carry up to five 100 watt-hours portable batteries, while batteries over 160 watt-hours won’t be allowed on board.

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syarifahsn@asiaone.com