India’s aviation watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is set to launch a comprehensive investigation into a recent power bank fire incident aboard a domestic flight. This move comes after Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu officially announced the review this past Saturday.
The incident in question occurred on October 19, when a passenger’s power bank unexpectedly ignited within an IndiGo aircraft. The flight, bound for Dimapur, was still taxiing at Delhi airport when the fire erupted. Fortunately, the vigilant cabin crew quickly brought the situation under control and successfully extinguished the flames.
When pressed by reporters, Minister Naidu confirmed that the DGCA would indeed be thoroughly examining the event. Addressing the media on the sidelines of an event in the capital, he emphasized, ‘The DGCA will handle this matter diligently. They are committed to a full review of the incident.’
This incident serves as a stark reminder of the stringent regulations governing the transport of electronic devices, particularly those containing lithium-ion batteries, within aircraft cabins. Notably, this isn’t an isolated event. Just last week, a similar situation unfolded on an Air China flight en route from Hangzhou to Seoul, where a lithium battery in an overhead compartment also caught fire, as reported by various sources. These occurrences highlight a growing global concern for airline safety.