TOKYO - A United Airlines plane made an emergency landing at Kansai International Airport on September 12th after a cockpit warning indicated a possible fire in the cargo hold, though investigators later confirmed no trace of fire was found.
Video from just after the landing shows emergency slides deployed and many passengers gathered on the runway as crew instructed them to wait.
The incident involved United Airlines Flight 32 from Narita to Cebu, carrying 142 passengers and crew. Around 7 p.m., the cockpit warning system indicated a fire in the rear cargo compartment. After landing, all passengers evacuated, with five sustaining minor injuries such as bruises. The airport temporarily closed all runways, disrupting operations.
By the following day, about 50 flights had to divert to airports other than Kansai, underscoring the widespread impact.
One passenger said: "They were serving in-flight meals, then suddenly collected them back, saying we were heading to Osaka. At first, I didn’t understand. Later the captain announced in English that we would divert to Osaka." Another added: "There was no explanation beforehand. Just the announcement that we would make an emergency landing in Osaka."
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism classified the emergency landing as a "serious incident." On September 13th, the Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) dispatched investigators to interview the captain and others. The investigation continued on September 15th.
A JTSB investigator said: "We checked the rear cargo compartment. There were no traces of fire."
The board is examining whether sensors or fire detection systems malfunctioned, and will analyze the flight recorder to determine the cause in detail.
Source: YOMIURI
