North Korean plane catches fire - emergency landing in China

[oldchina]

PYONGYANG, July 22 (Xinhua) -- A flight of Air Koryo, the national flag carrier of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK (http://search.news.cn/language/search.jspa?id=en&t1=0&t=1&ss=&btn=0&ct=Philippines&n1=DPRK&np=content)), on Friday made a forced landing in China's northeastern city of Shenyang after the plane caught fire, a passenger aboard told Xinhua.
The passenger said smoke appeared in the cabin about 30 minutes after takeoff from Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. The passengers were told that they should not panic and that the plane would temporarily land in Shenyang.
Later, oxygen masks dropped and several passengers began to have breathing difficulty because of the oxygen shortage in the cabin. The plane made a forced landing in Shenyang 10 minutes later.
Chinese ground staff said that the plane had caught fire. Passengers held up in Shenyang can either choose to check out from the airport or wait for Air Koryo to send another plane to pick them.
The plane was destined for Beijing.

Note: "the plane would temporarily land in Shenyang" ??

[Lonewolf_50]

Might that be a lost meaning in translation?

[Airbubba]

Looks like it was JS151, a Tu-204 ('B-757ski' ;)) scheduled FNJ-PEK:

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/js151/#a6b3223

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/KOR151/history/20160722/0027Z

[DaveReidUK]

Might that be a lost meaning in translation?

A bit like when US pilots announce that they will be landing momentarily, you mean? ;)

[Lonewolf_50]

Dave, if you have issues with how Americans speak on the radio, take it to another thread. There are ample threads to choose from.

When a report has to cross one and possibly two different languages to be rendered into English (or another language) the meaning or context of a term can be lost in translation.
The term that came to us in English as "temporarily" may have meant something else in context when it was used in its native tongue.

That is why I asked the OP about that.

[DaveReidUK]

The term that came to us in English as "temporarily" may have meant something else in context when it was used in its native tongue.

Agreed. Exactly as per my example, in fact.

[SpeedBird2016]

I'm almost scared to ask if an evacuation was ordered.

[Wageslave]

What's wrong with "temporarily"?. Its not common usage but it conveys (perhaps, under the circumstances a bit optimistically) the meaning that the flight will continue elsewhere in due course so in the case of a diversion it makes reasonable sense, quite unlike the example of landing "momentarily" which is hilariously nonsensical unless a touch and go really is intended.

[Gordomac]

Speedbird ; may I join your gang ?

[Capn Bloggs]

Good job if they got it on the ground in 10 minutes. Fire waits for no-one...

[ElitePilot]

Its quite normal to be kept at rediculously low cruise levels in China :p

[Heathrow Harry]

Sounds like a text- book reaction - hope they get a medal and aren't labled as "saboteurs"

[Suzeman]

More details here

Incident: Koryo T204 near Shenyang on Jul 22nd 2016, smoke in cabin (http://avherald.com/h?article=49b87594&opt=0)

[Lonewolf_50]

From that link, Suzeman, it appears that "catches fire" may be an inaccurate depiction of the event. If this is a precautionary landing, nobody hurt, then good and hopefully the sort out the defect that triggered the precautionary landing.


How did the Chinese ground staff know that it had caught fire? (Not the first time conflicting reports arrive for the same event ... )

[edmundronald]

Sounds like North Korean CRM works, or at least worked this time :)
I wonder which language they use to communicate with the ground in China.

Edmund

[Airbubba]

I wonder which language they use to communicate with the ground in China.
Edmund

English is used by international carriers, including Koreans, in China in my experience.

And, with most international cabin crews, there is someone who speaks the languages of the departure and arrival countries. This might be very helpful with a divert to a station that does not have your own airline's ground staff.

[Noxegon]

Shenyang is a regular Air Koryo destination.

That being said, I would imagine they probably outsource their handling.

[edi_local]

I am not sure about Shenyang, but when I flew with them from PEK-FNJ in 2013 (on the same aircraft involved in this incident) the check in and gate agents wore the little Kim Il Sun badges the North Koreans are decked with. I can't say for sure if they were JS staff or handling agents, but if they were the latter then that's dedication on their behalf.