Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are preferred for their specific strength and toughness. As fibers are the main load-bearing constituent of composites, fiber breakage has a significant effect on their strength and stiffness. The complex nature of damage involving oriented fiber breakages across multiple layers has posed a challenge to manufacturers and end-users alike. While detailed investigations of the damage have been carried out using micro-CT scans, assessment of oriented fiber breakages with field-deployable non-destructive techniques would facilitate our understanding significantly. A new scheme deploying induction thermography to detect fiber breakage and identify its orientation is proposed. It is experimentally demonstrated on samples with realistic fiber breakage produced in a controlled manner. Further, a numerical model capturing the proposed inspection mechanism is described. © 2021