SEOUL – An Asiana Airlines Airbus A330-300 aircraft, operating as flight OZ108 bound for Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, was forced to return to Incheon International Airport on Friday, June 21, 2025, due to an engine anomaly shortly after takeoff. The incident, which involved visible sparks and smoke from one of its engines, prompted a swift emergency response at Incheon.

The aircraft, carrying 263 passengers, departed Incheon International Airport at approximately 6:49 PM KST. Roughly an hour into the flight, an engine malfunction was detected, with eyewitnesses reporting sparks and subsequent smoke from what was identified as the left (No. 1) engine. Following standard safety protocols, the flight crew initiated an immediate return. The aircraft landed safely back at Incheon Airport at around 7:42 PM KST. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the passengers or crew.

In response to the incident, the Seoul Regional Office of Aviation issued a "full emergency" alert, leading to the mobilization of emergency response teams, including firefighting units, who were on standby at Runway 4 for the aircraft's safe landing.

Asiana Airlines confirmed the emergency landing was a necessary safety measure. The airline swiftly arranged for a replacement aircraft, with the flight rescheduled for 4:30 AM KST the following day to accommodate Narita Airport's overnight curfew on takeoffs and landings. Affected passengers were provided with rest facilities at the Incheon Airport lounge.

The aircraft involved in the incident is an Airbus A330-300, with a reported age of 11 years and 8 months. Asiana Airlines has initiated a thorough inspection of the returned aircraft to ascertain the precise cause of the malfunction. Investigations are currently focusing on whether the incident stemmed from an internal engine fault or a bird strike, a common cause of engine damage.

An Asiana Airlines spokesperson issued an apology for the inconvenience caused to the passengers and stated that appropriate compensation would be offered. The airline emphasizes its commitment to passenger safety and will cooperate fully with aviation authorities during the ongoing investigation to prevent future occurrences.