Damage to Samsung Galaxy Note 7 led to smoke in flight

Damage to the battery of a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 led to smoke emanating from a laptop bag kept in the overhead baggage compartment of a flight from Singapore to Chennai in September, as per the findings by aviation regulator DGCA.

On September 23 this year, cabin crew observed smoke emanating from a mobile phone kept in a laptop bag in the overhead baggage rack in the flight. According to the government, action was taken to controland do use the affected article as per procedure while no injury to any passenger or crew was reported.

"Matter was investigated by DGCA and during the investigation, it was observed that the damage to the battery of a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 had led to the said occurrence,"Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sinha said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Thrusday.

Against incidents of fire involving Samsung Galaxy Note 7,the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a public notice not to carry the smartphone on board including in checked-in luggage/cargo on any aircraft operating to, from or within India. While issuing the instructions, advisories/ guidelines issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) were taken into consideration, Sinha said.

Besides, the watchdog has issued a CAR (Civil AviationRequirement) in this regard. "Electronic devices, intentionally transmitting radiosignals like mobile/cellular phones, amateur radiotransceivers etc., if carried on board, shall be kept in non-transmitting mode (commonly referred to as flight/airplanemode)," Sinha said quoting the CAR.