Scandinavian Airlines flight makes emergency landing after power bank overheats

A domestic flight operated by Scandinavian Airlines was forced to make an emergency landing on Sunday after a power bank overheated in the cabin, producing smoke and triggering a full emergency response.

Flight SK4416, operated by an Airbus A320neo registered SE-RUO, was carrying 186 passengers from Oslo Airport Gardermoen to Tromsø when the crew reported smoke in the cabin shortly after noon, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

The aircraft was diverted to Trondheim Airport Værnes as a precaution.

According to police operations manager Øystein Sagen, four to five crew members were exposed to smoke from the overheating device. They were assessed by medical personnel after landing and later discharged. No passenger injuries were reported, although medical assistance was offered as a precautionary measure.

Early reports had suggested that a fire may have broken out in the cockpit, but authorities later clarified that the incident originated in the passenger cabin. Emergency services confirmed that the smoke was caused by an overheating power bank — a lithium-ion battery device commonly used by passengers to charge electronic equipment.

“The crew was unable to bring the temperature down,” said Lars Lunde, duty manager at Central Norway’s 110 emergency centre. “They decided to land at Værnes and hand the situation over to the fire department.”

Lithium-ion batteries are considered a significant in-flight hazard if damaged or overheated. In some cases, they can trigger thermal runaway, a chain reaction that generates intense heat, fire and toxic smoke. As a result, airlines worldwide treat such incidents as high-risk situations requiring immediate containment and, when necessary, diversion.

Scandinavian Airlines confirmed that the diversion and landing were conducted in line with established safety and operational procedures.

Emergency crews were on standby when the aircraft arrived in Trondheim. The overheating device was removed from the plane, and officials confirmed that the situation was quickly brought under control.

Police have opened an investigation to determine the precise cause of the overheating incident.

Despite the seriousness of the event, authorities emphasized that the crew responded professionally and adhered strictly to safety protocols. From an aviation safety management standpoint, the outcome highlights the importance of cabin crew training in handling lithium battery incidents — an area of increasing focus across the global airline industry.

Operations at Trondheim Airport were not significantly affected following the emergency landing.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev