Smoking cellphone triggers unscheduled landing for KLM flight

A KLM flight from Schiphol to Kuala Lumpur had to make an unscheduled landing in Phuket on Tuesday after an overheating cellphone started smoking on board.

According to KLM, the plane was landed on the Thailand island - the closest airport at the time - as a precautionary measure. "At no time were passengers or crew in danger", the airline said in a statement.

A safety check was done, and the plane was released for departure shortly after the unscheduled stop. But due to compulsory crew work and rest times, the flight did not continue to Kuala Lumpur immediately.

The flight ended up being delayed for 18 hours. KLM accommodated affected passengers and crew in hotels in Phuket. "KLM regrets the inconvenience this is causing to passengers."