A321 Destroyed in South Korea Fire

Early reports indicate that the blaze started in the tail section of the aircraft. Photos on social media show substantial damage to the 18-year-old jet.

An Air Busan Airbus A321 (Photo: Shutterstock | Phuong D. Nguyen)
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Key Takeaways:

A fire broke out on board an Air Busan Airbus A321 on Tuesday evening. The jet was preparing for departure from Busan-Gimhae International Airport in South Korea.

Early reports indicate that the blaze started in the tail section of the aircraft. Photos on social media show substantial damage to the 18-year-old jet.

Registered as HL7763, the A321 was bound for Hong Kong with 176 people on board, including 169 passengers, six crew members, and a mechanic. Passengers and crew evacuated via slides, with four non-life-threatening injuries reported.

Air Busan – which is owned by Asiana Airlines – began operations 16 years ago as a low-cost carrier in South Korea. According to the Yonhap News Agency, the carrier has never reported a major accident.

The cause of the fire remains unknown at the time of writing.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
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