ALL 186 passengers and crew of Thai AirAsia flight FD3188 heading from Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok to Nakhon Si Thammarat at 7.20 a.m. this morning (Feb. 24) were unharmed and the plane landed safely at the destination after a power bank exploded, Matichon newspaper quoted TV Channel 3 as saying.
On this flight was Sub. Lt. Sayan Srimai, an assistant reporter of this TV channel and a reporter of the Nakhon Si Thammarat Press Association, and his wife. He said that there was chaos in the cabin after the device exploded around 30 minutes after takeoff.
Smoke rose in the middle of the cabin from row 15, which was directly in front of the reporter, shocking all the passengers. The flight crew were able to extinguish the fire in two minutes and the blast did not affect the rest of the journey with the plane landing safely at Nakhon Si Thammarat Airport.
The passenger who carried the power bank to the plane said he and his family, totaling seven to eight members, were going to Nakhon Si Thammarat for a three-day holiday.
He had put the bag holding the device under the seat of the the front passenger and was shocked when a fire suddenly broke out but fortunately no one was injured.
Thai AirAsia issued a statement that their crew are trained to put out such fires with all the passengers on board this flight reaching the destination safely.
The airline thanked the passengers seated in the area where the fire broke out for quickly noticing it and helping the crew put it out.
The airline advised passengers to check their power banks before bringing them aboard and ensure they are of the required quality and size. This device is not permitted to be stored in checked baggage, only carry one baggage, and that too according to specification because this would enable the trained crew to quickly take action in case of emergency.
Meanwhile passengers on board another plane captured the terrifying moment the cabin filled with smoke after a power bank in the overhead lockers was said to have exploded late Tuesday evening, Yahoo! News Australia and agencies said.
Footage taken on board the aircraft travelling to Shanghai in China from the Philippines shows the moment the front of the cabin filled with smoke, sending passengers into a panic.
Several passengers made their way to the back of the Royal Air aircraft to avoid inhaling the fumes which were quickly filling the air. The pilot was forced to carry out an emergency landing in Hong Kong.
The power bank, which is prohibited from being placed in overhead lockers, was reportedly owned by a passenger for charging their iPad. It remains unclear what caused the charger to explode. The overpowering fumes led to a three-hour delay.
After landing in Hong Kong, the passengers — who originally departed from the Philippine island of Boracay — were evacuated while airport workers cleaned and ventilated the cabin, which lasted for around an hour.
Passengers were then allowed back on board before continuing on their journey to Shanghai. They arrived at their destination at around 12.30 a.m., three hours later than scheduled. No injuries were reported.
CAPTIONS:
Top: The cabin of Thai AirAsia flight from Don Mueang Airport to Nakhon Si Thammarat is filled with smoke after a power bank exploded. Photo: Matichon
Insert: Passengers on board the Royal Air flight to China were trying to escape as the smoke filled the cabin. Source: Jam Press and published by Yahoo!News
Also read:Â Beware of power banks exploding in the summer heat
Power bank bursts into flames after being left in vehicle
Paetongtarn to visit Phnom Penh next month
SDGs will fail to meet 2030 target, but travel & tourism can still be a big help
Filipinos might probably buy JAS 39E Gripen jets
Nameplate, Buddha image retrieved from sunken navy ship
2 Replies to “Thai AirAsia plane lands safely after power bank explodes”