Airline Passenger's Power Bank Explodes Mid-Air Forcing Emergency Landing, Man Suffers Burns

A flight had to make an emergency landing after a passenger suffered burns when his power bank exploded mid-flight. The incident took place on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong on Wednesday.

According to local reports, the unidentified 26-year-old man was charging his phone using his power bank when the device exploded. The man sustained injuries to his left hand and thigh. The flight was forced to make an emergency landing at Vietnam’s Tan Son Nhat Airport.

A medical team was stationed at the airport and as soon as the flight landed, doctors treated him before rushing him to a nearby hospital.

Meanwhile, Vietnam Aviation authorities conducted an investigation which revealed that the power bank was of an unverified brand.

The incident comes a few months after a power bank exploded inside a passenger’s bag at Thailand’s Chiang Mai International Airport. A video of the incident showed flames emerge from the passenger’s backpack as she walked in front of the airport’s passenger terminal. She immediately throws the bag on the ground and runs.

“Take a moment to imagine this happening inside an aircraft. This is the answer to why airlines are so strict about not allowing power banks on airplanes,” the Facebook post accompanying the video read.