A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao was forced to turn around after a passenger’s power bank reportedly caught fire in the business-class cabin. KLM Flight KL735, operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, departed Amsterdam Schiphol Airport on Thursday, September 17, carrying around 322 passengers to Curaçao International Airport in the Caribbean, according to RTL News .
However, KLM has not publicly confirmed that Eurlings was on the flight or that he was responsible for the power bank fire. The incident occurred about five and a half hours into the flight, while the aircraft was over the Atlantic Ocean. She reportedly heard a loud bang before seeing large flames rise above the seat. Images circulating on social media appeared to show a charred area around a business-class window, along with ash and burn marks on the armrest. Eurlings was reportedly left with minor injuries and was described by the passenger as shocked and upset about what had happened. Power banks typically contain lithium-ion batteries, which can pose a fire risk if they are damaged or malfunction. A failure known as thermal runaway can cause a battery to rapidly overheat, producing smoke, intense heat and flames that can be difficult to control inside an aircraft.
A power bank being charged by a passenger suddenly burst into flames in the business-class section, according to Dutch media reports. An unnamed passenger told RTL News that she was sitting near former KLM chief Camiel Eurlings and claimed he was using the power bank when the incident occurred. KLM has said it could not confirm the authenticity of the images.
