Earlier this morning, Wednesday 22 July 2020, an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 777F (Cargo) aircraft caught fire on the ground at Shanghai Pudong Airport, whilst cargo was being loaded onboard. The aircraft, a Boeing 777F registered ET-ARH, was due to operate a scheduled cargo service from Shanghai Pudong to Sao Paolo, before flying onward to Santiago.
What happened exactly?
Videos and images circulating on social media show a large part of the aircraft fuselage that was brunt away; Whilst the exact cause is currently unknown, it is thought the fire began on the main cargo deck of the triple-seven aircraft. Footage from the scene shows the fire being brought under control and the incident has been marked as ‘contained.’
In a statement to Travel Radar, a spokesperson for Ethiopian Airlines confirmed:
“Ethiopian Airlines B777 freighter aircraft with registration number ET-ARH caught fire while loading cargo at Pudong Shanghai airport today, July 22, 2020. The aircraft was on a regular scheduled cargo service from Shanghai to Sao Paulo-Santiago. All ground staff and flying crew are safe.
Ethiopian has collaborated with all concerned authorities and contained the fire. The cause of the incident is under investigation by the appropriate authorities.”
More About Ethiopian Airlines
Using FlightRadar24 data, it is believed the aircraft had landed in Shanghai close to midday (local time) operating the flight from Brussels to Shanghai: #ET3738. The aircraft is one of 10 777F’s operated by the carrier, with an average fleet age of 4.3yrs.
We are continuously monitoring this story and will bring updates as we receive them.
