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Lithium artillery fires connected U.S. flights emergence
A Delta Air Lines formation made an exigency landing successful Fort Myers, Florida, connected Monday aft a portable artillery belonging to a rider caught fire, the hose said.
Delta formation 1334 from Atlanta was heading to Fort Lauderdale International Airport erstwhile a occurrence broke out, according to a Delta spokesperson. Flight attendants rapidly extinguished the flames coming from what is believed to beryllium a idiosyncratic battery, the airlines said successful a connection to CBS News.
There was residual fume successful the craft and the concern was declared an exigency retired of an abundance of caution, Delta said. The level was past diverted to Southwest Florida International Airport successful Fort Myers arsenic is procedure.
"We admit the speedy enactment and actions by our radical to travel their training, and we apologize to our customers for the hold successful their travels," Delta Airlines' connection said.
A spokesperson for the Fort Myers airport, located astir a 2-hour thrust from Fort Lauderdale, said the formation with 185 customers and six unit members connected committee landed safely astatine 8:48 a.m. section time.
So acold this year, determination person been a full of 34 incidents involving lithium batteries - 11 of which were owed to artillery packs, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
From 2015 to 2024, the fig of lithium artillery fires connected U.S. flights roseate 388%, the FAA's information show.
Due to growing concerns of lithium-ion artillery fires, Southwest Airlines introduced what it said was a "first-in-industry" argumentation successful May requiring customers to support their portable chargers successful plain sight.
Earlier this year, Singapore Airlines wholly banned powerfulness banks from being utilized oregon charged in-flight.
Jared Ochacher contributed to this report.
Kiki Intarasuwan is simply a quality exertion for CBS News & Stations.
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