Air Busan A321 Caught Fire in South Korea

On January 28, 2025, an Air Busan Airbus A321 caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea. All 169 passengers and seven crew members on board were evacuated via slides.

The Air Busan Airbus A321 with registration HL7763 was scheduled to depart as flight BX391 from Busan to Hong Kong with 176 passengers and crew members on board. However, at approximately 10:26 p.m. local time, smoke and flames emanated from the tail section while the aircraft was preparing for departure on the taxiway.

Emergency services promptly responded, and all 176 occupants, including 169 passengers and seven crew members, were evacuated using the emergency slides. The swift evacuation ensured there were no casualties; however, three passengers reportedly sustained minor injuries during the evacuation process.

The fire is believed to have started in the tail area of the aircraft, where the auxiliary power unit (APU) is located, although the exact cause is still under investigation. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene after smoke was seen billowing from the tail section. The flames spread quickly to the fuselage, but emergency teams were able to control and extinguish the fire.

Photos and videos shared by witnesses show extensive damage to the passenger cabin, with emergency personnel actively containing the blaze. The fire was extinguished at 11:31 p.m.

This incident comes less than a month after South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster in recent years. On December 29, 2024, a Jeju Air Boeing 737 tragically crashed during an emergency belly landing at Muan Airport, resulting in the deaths of 179 of the 181 people aboard. The back-to-back incidents have raised concerns over aviation safety in the country, though no immediate link between the two has been established.

In light of the Air Busan incident, officials have expressed relief that the swift response of both the crew and emergency services prevented a more tragic outcome. Fire officials have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, and until then, the runway at Gimhae International Airport has been closed for further inspection and repairs.

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