Powerbank Explodes in Cabin, KLM Flight Turns Back After 5 Hours in Air
KOMPAS.com – Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM) was forced to turn back after a fire broke out in the cabin caused by an exploding powerbank on Thursday (17/9/2026).
The KLM flight KL735, headed to Curaçao, reversed course and returned to Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
According to Dutch News on Friday (18/9/2026), the plane had been flying for five and a half hours when the powerbank started emitting smoke, filling the cabin.
Photos obtained show a shattered window and burned debris. The cabin crew successfully extinguished the fire.
As a result, KLM covered overnight hotel costs for all 322 affected passengers. They departed to Curaçao on a different plane the following Friday morning.
This marks the second time a KLM flight has been disrupted by an incident involving a powerbank.
In August 2025, a device in an overhead storage compartment caught fire during a flight to São Paulo, Brazil.
The powerbank was confirmed by multiple passengers, according to NL Times (18/9/2026), to belong to Camiel Eurlings, former CEO of KLM.
Eurlings was charging the device—a violation of safety regulations—while flying first class on the flight to Willemstad.
Witnesses said he was asleep at the time and woke up to the sound of the powerbank exploding.
A passenger seated nearby witnessed the incident. “Suddenly there was a loud explosion,” said the passenger, quoted by NL Times, who requested anonymity from the broadcaster.
“Immediately after, a fire broke out; a large flame shot up from above the seat. The blast was caused by the powerbank catching fire instantly,” the passenger added.
KLM stated that one person suffered minor injuries but did not confirm their identity. However, a source from the television station RTL Nieuws reported that Eurlings sustained minor injuries.
KLM permits powerbanks on its flights but prohibits passengers from using or charging them during the flight.
