Southwest Airlines flight evacuated after phone catches fire; passengers criticised for prioritising luggage | Trending

A terrifying incident unfolded at Denver International Airport on Friday when 108 passengers aboard a Southwest Airlines flight were forced to evacuate after a passenger’s smartphone battery caught fire, causing a seat to ignite in flames. The Boeing 737-700 was preparing for takeoff when the fire broke out, triggering panic among passengers, as reported CNN. Passengers evacuated Southwest Airlines flight after a phone battery caught fire.(Pixabay) (Also read: American Airlines flight diverted after mysterious sound sends passengers and crew into panic) Panic on board as crew urges evacuationA video shared on social media platform X shows the intense moments inside the aircraft, as the cabin crew urgently shouted at passengers to evacuate immediately. “Get out, get out now,” can be heard in the footage, as passengers scrambled to leave the plane. Many were seen grabbing their luggage in a state of panic as they rushed to the exits. Watch the clip here: Quick action saves livesAccording to CNN, the Federal Aviation Adminration (FAA) and Southwest Airlines confirmed that passengers seated at the rear of the plane evacuated via emergency slides, while those near the front exited through the jet bridge. One passenger sustained a minor injury during the evacuation, while the individual whose phone caught fire is being treated for burns. The crew acted swiftly and successfully extinguished the flames, preventing further damage or injury. Though the evacuation was chaotic, the flight continued its journey to its intended destination three hours later, arriving safely at William P. Hob Airport in Houston. (Also read: Unruly flight passenger restrained after attempting to open emergency door mid-air. Watch) Unruly passenger attempts to open emergency exit mid-flight on Korean AirIn a separate incident, a Korean Air flight from Bangkok to Seoul was forced to deal with an unruly passenger who attempted to open the emergency exit mid-flight. The man, who was occupying a crew jumpseat near the emergency exit, began acting erratically an hour into the flight, prompting flight attendants to intervene. Aggression and restraintWhen the crew instructed the man to return to his seat, he became verbally and physically aggressive. Despite multiple attempts to open the emergency exit hatch, the man was unable to breach it. A video shared on social media shows the passenger struggling with the escape hatch before being restrained the crew. Thankfully, the situation was brought under control, and the flight landed safely in Seoul. Following the landing, the man was handed over to authorities for further investigation. Korean Air stated that the incident was managed according to security protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of all passengers on board.