Passenger's Power Bank Sparks Fire, IndiGo Flight Diverts Mid-Air

In Brief

1. Smoke and flames erupted from a personal power bank stored in an overhead bin aboard IndiGo flight 6E 6115 mid-flight on Sunday.
2. The flight crew swiftly extinguished the fire, and the pilots diverted the aircraft to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad, where it landed safely without any injuries reported.
3. Following the incident, authorities reiterated regulations requiring passengers to carry power banks strictly in hand baggage and avoid using or charging them during flights.

A Delhi-to-Chennai IndiGo flight carrying 191 people experienced a mid-air emergency on Sunday, October 11, 2026, after a passenger's portable power bank caught fire inside the aircraft cabin.

IndiGo flight 6E 6115 departed from Delhi International Airport heading toward Chennai. While en route, smoke was detected billowing from a passenger's electronic device stored in an overhead luggage compartment.

The cabin crew responded promptly, using onboard fire extinguishers and safety equipment to douse the flames before the situation escalated. Adhering to standard aviation safety protocols, the flight deck crew initiated a diversion. The aircraft landed safely at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad at approximately 3:15 PM.

"IndiGo flight 6E 6115, operating from Delhi to Chennai on October 11, 2026, was diverted to Hyderabad after smoke was detected from a customer's personal electronic device," an official airline spokesperson said in a statement. "The cabin crew responded promptly and the situation was brought under control."

Airport officials confirmed that because the fire was extinguished quickly, no emergency declaration was necessary upon landing, and all 191 passengers and crew members disembarked safely.

IndiGo arranged an alternate aircraft to transport the passengers onward to Chennai later that evening, while providing refreshments and updates. Aviation authorities have emphasized existing safety directives, reminding travelers that lithium-ion power banks must remain in hand baggage and should never be charged or left unattended during flights.