Air China Flight Diverted to Shanghai After Lithium Battery Fire in Cabin

An Air China passenger aircraft was safely diverted to Shanghai on Saturday after a lithium battery stored in a passenger’s carry-on luggage caught fire mid-flight, the airline confirmed.

The incident occurred aboard Flight CA139, which operates daily between Hangzhou in eastern China and Incheon International Airport near Seoul, South Korea.

Details of the Incident

According to a statement released on the Chinese social media platform Weibo, the airline reported: “A lithium battery spontaneously ignited in a passenger’s carry-on luggage stored in the overhead bin on flight CA139.”

The crew acted swiftly and followed safety procedures, successfully extinguishing the fire before it could spread. The airline added: “The crew immediately handled the situation according to procedures, and no one was injured.”

For safety reasons, the aircraft made an unscheduled landing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport.

Images published by the state-affiliated media outlet Jimu News showed bright flames and thick black smoke emerging from an overhead storage compartment. One passenger was reportedly seen attempting to extinguish the blaze with the help of flight crew members.

Despite the dramatic visuals, all passengers were safe and unharmed due to the rapid and effective response of the crew.

Data from Flightradar24, a global flight-tracking website, detailed the aircraft’s movements:

• Take-off: 09:47 a.m. (local time) from Hangzhou
• Incident Location: Mid-flight over the sea, approximately equidistant between China’s eastern coastline and Japan’s southern island of Kyushu
• Diversion and Landing: The plane executed a complete turn before heading toward Shanghai, where it landed safely at approximately 11:00 a.m. local time

The incident underscores the ongoing safety risks associated with lithium batteries in air travel, despite stringent international regulations. Air China stated that it is conducting a full investigation and has reiterated its policy prohibiting passengers from carrying unprotected or damaged lithium batteries in their luggage.