Emergency landing for Air China flight after lithium battery catches fire

A major disturbance occurred on an Air China flight on Saturday, 18 October, when a fire broke out in a passenger’s carry-on bag, according to an announcement by the airline.

The incident took place during the flight from the city of Hangzhou in eastern China, bound for Incheon International Airport, near Seoul in South Korea.

“A lithium battery caught fire inside a passenger’s carry-on bag, which was placed in the overhead locker on flight CA139,” Air China said in a post on the Chinese social network Weibo.

The crew reacted immediately, following the prescribed safety protocols, and managed to extinguish the fire with no injuries reported.

Fire breaks out in the overhead luggage bin on board Air China flight CA139 while flying between Hangzhou and Seoul.

It is understood that the cause of the fire was a lithium battery in a passenger's luggage spontaneously combusting. pic.twitter.com/2SW5i51zUK

— Olomo TIMES (@Olomotimes) October 19, 2025

For safety reasons, the aircraft was diverted to Shanghai Pudong International Airport, where it landed without problems.