Seoul, Jan 28 (AP): A passenger plane caught fire before takeoff at an airport in South Korea late Tuesday, but all 176 people on board were safely evacuated, authorities said.

The Airbus plane operated by South Korean airline Air Busan was preparing to leave for Hong Kong when its rear parts caught fire at Gimhae International Airport in the southeast, the Transport Ministry said in a statement.

All of the plane's 169 passengers, six crewmembers and one engineer were evacuated using an escape slide, the ministry statement said.

The National Fire Agency said in a release that three people suffered minor injuries during the evacuation. The fire agency said the fire was completely put out at 11:31 pm, about one hour after it deployed firefighters and fire trucks at the scene.

The cause of the fire wasn't immediately known. The Transport Ministry said the plane is an A321 model.

Tuesday's incident came a month after a Jeju Air passenger plane crashed at Muan International Airport in southern South Korea, killing all but two of the 181 people on board. It was one of the deadliest disasters in South Korea's aviation history.

The Boeing 737-800 skidded off the airport's runaway on Dec 29 after its landing gear failed to deploy, slamming into a concrete structure and bursting into flames. The flight was returning from Bangkok and all of the victims were South Koreans except for two Thai nationals.

The first report on the crash released Monday said authorities have confirmed traces of bird strikes in the plane's engines, though officials haven't determined the cause of the accident.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Madikeri: In a major academic feat, Syeda Kashmira Simran, daughter of late Kashmir Simran Syed Nazir Ahmed and Syeda Nikhat Asma, founders of Mountain View School, Virajpet town, has been selected for the post of Civil Judge. She cleared and secured the 30th rank in the first attempt.

Syeda completed her primary and secondary education at Mountain View School, established by her parents in Virajpet, and pursued her pre-university education in Mangaluru.

She later obtained her BBA LL.B. degree from Vidya Vikas College in Mysuru.

In 2023, she began practicing as an advocate in Virajpet under the guidance of I.R. Pramod.

Speaking to Prajavani, Syeda said, “My father and mother gave high priority to education. They also strongly believed that girls should pursue higher education and lead a self-reliant life. I am now satisfied that I have fulfilled their dream.”

So far, four advocates who trained under the guidance of I.R. Pramod has been selected as Civil Judges.

More than 10,000 candidates appeared for the Civil Judge Examination, of whom 83 were selected. Among them, Syeda Kasmira Simran secured the 30th rank.