Fire on plane: ex-minister causes emergency over the Atlantic (VIDEO) | Watch

A KLM transatlantic flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao was forced to return to Schiphol after a portable battery caught fire in the cabin. The device belonged to former Dutch Transport Minister and ex-KLM CEO Camiel Eurlings. The crew extinguished the fire, 322 passengers spent the night in a hotel and departed on a backup aircraft.

A KLM transatlantic flight from Amsterdam to Curaçao was forced to turn back after 5.5 hours of flight. The cause was a fire from a portable charger (power bank) in the passenger cabin. A loud bang was heard, flames erupted, but the crew quickly extinguished the fire. The incident gained resonance due to the identity of the device's owner — Camiel Eurlings, former Dutch Transport Minister and ex-CEO of KLM. According to witnesses, the fire started while the device was charging from the onboard power outlet, which is prohibited by the airline's rules. Eurlings sustained minor injuries. The aircraft dumped fuel for a safe landing, 322 passengers spent the night in a hotel and departed for Curaçao on a backup flight. KLM is conducting an investigation and has not yet officially named the passenger.