Battery catches fire on Air China flight from Hangzhou to Seoul, plane makes emergency landing in Shanghai

An Air China flight from Hangzhou, China, to Seoul, South Korea, was forced to make an emergency landing in Shanghai after a lithium battery in a passenger's carry-on luggage caught fire in the plane's cabin on Oct. 18.

In several video clips circulating online, bright flames could be seen emerging from an overhead storage compartment, while cabin crew members were seen moving towards it.

Some passengers could also be heard shouting "hurry up" in Korean.

According to data from tracking website Flightradar24, the plane took off from Hangzhou at 9:47am local time.

It then made a complete turn over the sea about halfway through the flight, and landed in Shanghai at 11:05am local time.

Air China's statement

In a statement on Chinese social media platform Weibo, the airline revealed that "a lithium battery spontaneously ignited in a passenger's carry-on luggage stored in the overhead compartment on flight CA139".

The crew handled the situation accordingly and no one was injured, it added.

To "ensure flight safety", the plane was diverted for an "unscheduled landing" at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

Top photo via X