What happened
On Monday, 21 July 2025, Virgin Australia flight VA1528, a Boeing 737-8FE registered VH-YFY and operated by Virgin Australia Regional, was conducting a scheduled passenger service from Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport to Hobart Airport in Tasmania. At approximately 09:01 local time during the descent and approach phase, a lithium-ion power bank located in a passenger's bag within an overhead locker experienced thermal runaway, producing flames and smoke in the cabin.
Cabin crew identified the source of the fire and managed the event using onboard procedures, ultimately placing the device into a containment bag to mitigate further risk. The timing of the occurrence during descent limited the time available for full completion of standard response procedures. Despite the cabin event, the flight crew continued the approach and conducted a safe landing at Hobart Airport.
There were 155 occupants on board, and no injuries were reported. The aircraft sustained minor damage, which was subsequently repaired. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) investigated the occurrence and completed a final report.
The ATSB investigation into this serious incident has been completed.