A commercial passenger flight operated by Air China was safely diverted to Shanghai on Saturday after a battery stowed in a passenger's carry-on luggage caught fire, the airline said.

The incident occurred aboard the national carrier's daily flight from the eastern Chinese city of Hangzhou to Incheon International Airport, near Seoul, South Korea.

"A lithium battery spontaneously ignited in a passenger's carry-on luggage stored in the overhead bin on flight CA139," the airline said in a statement on Chinese social media platform Weibo.

"The crew immediately handled the situation according to procedures, and no one was injured," the statement said.

The plane was diverted for an unscheduled landing at Shanghai Pudong International Airport "to ensure flight safety", it added.

Bright flam

See Full Page