China Eastern Airlines flight diverted after power bank fumes

A China Eastern Airlines passenger flight was safely diverted on Sunday after a power bank that accidentally fell into the gap between seats began to fume.

The flight, MU6958 from Lhasa, Tibet autonomous region, to Shanghai, was diverted to Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Hubei province after the power bank began to smoke, according to a report of Southern Metropolis Daily.

Cabin crew members handled the situation according to procedures and the passengers were later transferred to other flights to Shanghai.

A video circulating online showed cabin crew members examining a disassembled seat in the aircraft's first class. A passenger told Jiupai News in Hubei that attendants told passengers that the power bank, which fell into the seat gap accidentally, emitted smoke after being squeezed.

According to relevant regulations, each passenger is allowed to take up to two power banks that have a volume of no more than 100 watt-hours as their carry-on luggage. Common power banks of 20,000 milliampere fall into that category.

The airline reminded passengers in a social media post that they may not use power banks during the flight, as they are likely to overheat in the cabin under a pressurized environment and may lead to self-combustion. The airline also reminded passengers that they need to seek cabin crew for help if power banks fell into seat gaps to avoid risks.