AFP - Getty Images

Passengers are evacuated from a Cathay Pacific Boeing 747 aircraft which aborted its take-off from Shanghai Pudong airport after smoke was detected while the plane was taxiing for take-off, in Shanghai, China, on Dec. 9, 2011.

It seems that some people just cannot bear to part with their personal belongings, despite the safety instructions that airlines issue at the outset of every flight. 

The Associated Press reports from SHANGHAI:

City and airline officials say passengers were evacuated from a Cathay Pacific Airways plane set to fly from Shanghai to Hong Kong, after smoke was seen in the jet's cabin while it was taxiing for takeoff.

The city government said in a statement that a few passengers were slightly injured during the evacuation Friday at Pudong International Airport, but there were no serious injuries and other flights were not affected.

Cathay Pacific said 351 passengers and 19 crew were on board the Boeing 747-400 at the time of the incident. It said the source of the smoke was under investigation.

AFP - Getty Images

AFP - Getty Images

SINGAPORE — Terrified passengers aboard a blazing jetliner prayed together before the plane made an emergency landing on Monday. An engine on a Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300 caught fire in midair.

Beawiharta / Reuters

Passengers on Cathay Pacific flight CX715 prepare to disembark from the aeroplane after it landed safely at Changi Airport in Singapore on May 16. The A330 flight, which was enroute to Jakarta, experienced engine trouble shortly after takeoff and had to return to Singapore. Its right engine was burnt, according to pilot Bradley Chic.

Cathay Pacific said the jet, bound for Jakarta with 136 passengers on board, landed back in Singapore "without incident" just before 2 a.m. It said the crew shut down the engine after receiving a "stall warning." Continue reading.

Beawiharta / Reuters

Passengers on Cathay Pacific flight CX715 disembark from the aeroplane after it landed safely at Changi Airport in Singapore on May 16.

Reuters photographer Beawiharta was aboard the aircraft with his wife, two sons and daughter. As any good photographer knows, and as these dramatic images prove, you should always have your camera on you.

Beawiharta / Reuters

Firefighters try to put out a fire on the starboard engine of Cathay Pacific CX715, an Airbus A330 passenger jet, after it made an emergency landing at Singapore Changi Airport on May 16.