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A packed Air China flight bound for Seoul was forced to make an emergency landing in Shanghai on Saturday after a lithium battery inside a passenger’s carry-on luggage erupted in flames, filling the cabin with smoke.
The blaze broke out aboard Flight CA139, which had departed Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport at 9:47 a.m. local time with 160 passengers and crew headed to South Korea’s Incheon International Airport, according to statements from the airline and Chinese state media.
Air China said in a post on Weibo that “a lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on luggage stored in the overhead compartment spontaneously ignited.”
The crew immediately responded and no one was injured, the statement added.
The plane diverted to Shanghai Pudong International Airport “to ensure flight safety,” Air China said.
Video circulating on Chinese social media and published by NBC News showed bright flames and thick smoke pouring from an overhead compartment as startled passengers shouted for help.
Two flight attendants sprinted down the aisle carrying fire extinguishers while others shouted for travelers to remain seated.
A passenger quoted by local media said they heard a loud explosion moments before flames shot from the storage bin.
Photos shared online showed scorched lining above several rows of seats.
The aircraft landed safely in Shanghai around 11 a.m., flight-tracking site Flightradar24 showed. A replacement jet later transported passengers to Seoul, the airline confirmed.
No injuries were reported, and the aircraft sustained no structural damage, Air China said.
Passengers described several minutes of confusion as the fire crackled from the bin. One traveler shouted “hurry up!” in Korean as smoke thickened.
Local outlets reported that the ignited item was believed to be a power bank battery, though officials have not confirmed the brand or manufacturer.
The Air China scare is the latest in a string of lithium-battery incidents aboard Asian carriers this year.
In May, a China Southern Airlines flight from Hangzhou to Shenzhen returned to the airport 15 minutes after takeoff when smoke poured from a passenger’s camera battery and power bank.
In January, South Korean officials said a spare power bank likely caused a fire on an Air Busan flight carrying 169 passengers and seven crew; seven people suffered minor injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration warns that lithium-ion batteries can undergo “thermal runaway,” a self-heating reaction that can trigger explosions if a cell is damaged, overheated, overcharged or exposed to water.
Common household devices including smartphones, laptops, tablets and portable chargers all use such batteries.
Because of the danger, airlines worldwide restrict lithium batteries in checked baggage.
The TSA bans uninstalled lithium batteries from the hold entirely, requiring passengers to keep them in carry-on luggage under 100 watt-hours per cell.
China tightened its own rules this summer. As of June 28, power banks without certified safety markings are prohibited on domestic flights, and recalled models cannot be brought aboard.
Hong Kong’s Civil Aviation Department also barred storing power banks in overhead bins, mandating they be kept under seats or in seat pockets.