In brief
An Airbus incident raises alarms as passengers escape fire, injuring some, just weeks after a deadly crash in South Korea.
A major emergency unfolded at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, when an Airbus operated by Air Busan caught fire, prompting the swift evacuation of all 176 individuals on board. Eyewitness accounts and fire authorities reported that the fire broke out near the aircraft's tail just before its scheduled departure to Hong Kong on Tuesday evening. As firefighters rushed to the scene, four of the evacuees suffered injuries while escaping down inflatable slides.The incident marks a troubling moment for South Korean aviation, coming just weeks after a tragic crash involving a Jeju Air plane that resulted in the deaths of 179 passengers. Investigators in that case found bird feathers in the engines, raising concerns about operational safety. Located approximately 315 kilometers southeast of Seoul, Gimhae International Airport was the site of this latest crisis, with the fire igniting around 22:26 local time (13:26 GMT). Firefighters reportedly arrived within eight minutes to combat the blaze that had extended to the fuselage of the aircraft. Visuals from the scene show emergency responders actively working to extinguish the flames. The cause of this alarming incident is under investigation, with safety concerns once again drawing attention to the country's aviation sector. Air Busan, a low-cost carrier, operates under the umbrella of Asiana Airlines, which has faced scrutiny in the past for safety protocols.
