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Air China flight diverted after battery in passenger luggage catches fire
Shanghai / October 18, 2025 — An Air China flight from Hangzhou, China, to Incheon, South Korea, was safely diverted to Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Saturday after a lithium battery stored in a passenger’s carry-on bag caught fire, the airline said.
According to Air China, the fire occurred in the overhead compartment, and the cabin crew immediately followed safety procedures. No injuries were reported. Passengers captured videos showing flames and black smoke, and at least one traveler attempted to extinguish the fire.
Flight data from Flightradar24 indicate the aircraft departed Hangzhou at 9:47 a.m. local time (1:47 GMT). It turned back over the sea, roughly midway between the eastern coast of China and Kyushu, Japan, before safely landing in Shanghai shortly after 11 a.m. local time (3:00 GMT).
The airline emphasized that passenger safety was the priority and that the incident was managed according to standard emergency protocols.