Delta Flight Makes Emergency Landing After Battery Fire

A Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale made an emergency landing at Southwest Florida International Airport in Fort Myers around 8:50 a.m. after a passenger's lithium battery ignited, causing smoke in the cabin. Flight attendants swiftly extinguished the fire and isolated the affected backpack in a fireproof containment bag, with no injuries reported among the 185 passengers and six crew members. The crew declared an emergency out of caution, and the plane landed safely. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident, which reflects a 388% surge in lithium battery-related fires on U.S. flights from 2015 to 2024, including 34 incidents reported so far this year. Airlines are implementing new safety measures, such as requiring portable chargers to be in plain sight or banning in-flight charging altogether, to address the growing risk. Delta apologized for the delay and worked to re-accommodate affected passengers.