Air China Plane Catches Fire at Beijing Airport

An Air China plane bound for Tokyo caught fire on the tarmac during boarding at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) on Tuesday. According to information released via Weibo, crew evacuated all passengers. Airport authorities in Beijing also confirmed that no one was hurt during the incident.

A Tokyo-bound Air China plane caught fire as it was preparing to depart from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) on Tuesday, reports The Independent. The incident occurred on-board Air China Flight 183 just as passengers were boarding the A330 craft.

According to the outlet, smoke suddenly began to emerge from the plane’s cargo hold area. Footage of the burning craft was shared on social media and Air China also confirmed the incident via Weibo.

In a statement quoted by The Independent, the airline said, “The crew quickly took fire-fighting measures and organized the safe evacuation of all passengers. The specific cause of the incident is under investigation.”

Airport authorities in Beijing also confirmed the incident and added passengers were not on the plane when the fire broke out.

Photos of the damaged plane have been obtained by The Aviation Herald and can be seen here.

[Featured Image: CAAC]