Southwest flight turns back after passenger's phone catches fire

A Southwest Airlines flight destined for Houston unexpectedly remained grounded at El Paso International Airport on Wednesday morning. The departure was abruptly halted when a passenger's mobile device erupted into flames during the aircraft's taxiing phase, according to airline officials.

The flight returned to its point of origin at around 7:50 a.m. local time, confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in a statement provided to CBS News on Thursday. The FAA has committed to investigating the cause of the incident.

The incident was described as a "passenger disturbance" by the FAA, after crew members reported it while the plane was on its way to the runway. A Southwest Airlines representative separately clarified to CBS News that the incident was due to a battery fire within a passenger's cell phone, which ignited as the plane was taxiing.

"Southwest Flight 2112 redirected back to the gate at El Paso International after the battery in a passenger's phone seemed to catch fire," the representative relayed. The flight team successfully managed to control the flames and upon the aircraft’s return, passengers deboarded without further issues.

Although passengers faced a delay, they eventually reached Houston on a different Southwest aircraft, according to the airline spokesperson, who emphasized, "The well-being of our patrons and staff is Southwest's top priority."

While it is uncertain if additional investigations by other federal agencies will be launched beyond the FAA's inquiry, Southwest is actively collaborating with both federal and local agencies on the ongoing investigation.