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The Airbus A321 was preparing for takeoff to Hong Kong when flames erupted in its rear section, the Transport Ministry said in a statement. Emergency protocols were quickly activated, and all 169 passengers, six crew members, and one engineer evacuated the aircraft using an escape slide.
The National Fire Agency reported that three individuals suffered minor injuries during the evacuation process. Firefighters deployed to the scene managed to extinguish the blaze by 11:31 p.m., about an hour after their arrival.
Officials have yet to determine the cause of the fire, and an investigation is underway, reported AP.
This incident follows another aviation accident in South Korea last month when a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan International Airport. On December 29, the aircraft skidded off the runway after its landing gear failed to deploy, colliding with a concrete structure and igniting. Tragically, 179 of the 181 passengers and crew members onboard lost their lives, making it one of the deadliest air disasters in South Korean history.
The Jeju Air flight, returning from Bangkok, had traces of bird strikes in its engines, according to a preliminary report released Monday. However, investigators have not yet determined the definitive cause of the crash.
