An Asiana Airlines aircraft is parked at Incheon International Airport, Jan. 4. Yonhap

An Asiana Airlines flight bound for Incheon from the Philippines was delayed for over 15 hours on Friday after the pilot lost his passport, according to industry officials.

Flight OZ708 was scheduled to depart Clark International Airport at 1:35 a.m. local time, but the pilot was unable to proceed with immigration procedures after misplacing his passport.

Despite an extensive search of the aircraft and nearby areas, the passport could not be located. As a result, Asiana Airlines dispatched a replacement pilot from Korea, pushing the departure time back by 15 hours and 20 minutes.

The airline provided accommodation for the 135 passengers at nearby hotels and arranged transportation from the airport.

"We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to our passengers," the company said in a statement. (Yonhap)