JUST-IN: Fire guts plane with 176 on board at airport

A fire broke out on the tail of an Air Busan passenger aircraft at Gimhae International Airport, South Korea’s second-largest city, on Tuesday night, leading to the evacuation of 176 people onboard.

The incident occurred around 10:30 pm local time (1330 GMT) as the aircraft prepared to depart for Hong Kong, Yonhap News Agency reported.

A total of 169 passengers and seven crew members were safely evacuated using inflatable slides, with one person reportedly injured.

However, no details about the injury or the cause of the fire were provided.

Busan’s fire authorities were not immediately available for comment when contacted by AFP.

South Korea’s aviation sector has recently faced tragedy. Last month, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash-landed and exploded into flames after hitting a concrete barrier at Muan Airport.

The December 29 crash, which involved a flight from Thailand to Muan, resulted in the deaths of 179 out of 181 passengers and crew members.