An Airbus A321 operated by South Korean airline Air Busan caught fire on Tuesday while preparing for departure to Hong Kong at Gimhae International Airport in southern South Korea.
Fire authorities reported that all 169 passengers and seven crew members were safely evacuated, with three individuals sustaining minor injuries. The fire service was alerted just before 10:30 p.m. as flames erupted from the tail of the aircraft.
Local broadcaster YTN aired footage showing evacuation slides deployed on both sides of the single-aisle plane, with emergency responders addressing the smoke and flames emanating from the jet. Later images from Yonhap news displayed burn marks along the aircraft’s fuselage.
Airbus acknowledged the incident and is cooperating with Air Busan. However, both Air Busan and Asiana Airlines did not immediately respond to comments regarding the situation. Inquiries directed to Korean Air were referred to Air Busan for further information.
The aircraft, tail number HL7763, is a 17-year-old Airbus A321ceo model, according to the Aviation Safety Network, a recognized database maintained by the Flight Safety Foundation.