A power bank overheated and emitted smoke shortly before landing on HK Express flight UO676 from Hong Kong to Jeju, South Korea, injuring a passenger and prompting cabin crew to deploy onboard fire-containment procedures. The aircraft, carrying 236 passengers and seven crew members, landed safely at Jeju International Airport without evacuation, diversion or reported aircraft damage.
The incident occurred at about 06:22 local time, roughly 10 minutes before landing, when the device began smoking inside a bag beneath a passenger seat. A Chinese woman in her 50s burned her left thumb while removing it from the bag.
Crew members placed the power bank in a heat-resistant containment bag and submerged it in water. Jeju Fire and Safety Headquarters reached the airport at about 06:32, inspected the cabin after landing and confirmed that no continuing fire risk remained. Firefighters provided first aid to the injured passenger, who declined ambulance transport and planned to travel independently to a hospital. Her subsequent treatment was not confirmed.
HK Express apologised for the incident. The airline prohibits the use of power banks during flight and their storage in overhead baggage compartments. Authorities and the airline did not identify the device’s manufacturer, capacity or charging status.