Powerbank explodes in mid-air: What happened next
Royal Air Philippines Flight RW602 makes emergency landing due to onboard fire
Manila: A flight operated by Royal Air Philippines, en route from the resort island of Boracay to Shanghai, China was compelled to land urgently at Hong Kong International Airport late Tuesday evening.
This pilots’ decision was necessitated by the explosion of a power bank, which led to the cabin being engulfed in smoke, according to local media.
Fortunately, there were no injuries reported from the incident.
Captured in a video shared online, the immediate aftermath of the explosion on Flight RW602 can be observed.
Smoke began to emanate from the front section of the aircraft, quickly spreading throughout the cabin.
The situation caused alarm among passengers, many of whom moved towards the rear of the aircraft to escape the smoke.
Following the incident, the flight's captain decided to execute an emergency landing in Hong Kong.
The situation was resolved within approximately an hour, allowing the passengers to continue their journey, ultimately reaching Shanghai around 12:30 am on Tuesday, albeit with a delay of three hours.
The total number of passengers aboard at the time of the explosion has not been disclosed. The cause behind the explosion of the portable battery charger – which regulations prohibit from being placed in checked luggage – remains undetermined.