A tragic plane crash in South Korea has claimed the lives of 179 people aboard a Jeju Air flight. The Boeing 737-800 crash-landed at Muan International Airport on Sunday, with only two survivors, both cabin crew members, rescued from the burning wreckage.
The flight, which had 181 people onboard, was returning from Bangkok, Thailand, with 175 passengers and six crew members. Most of the passengers were holidaymakers. The plane skidded off the runway and collided with a wall, resulting in a massive fire.
Families of the victims gathered at the airport, struggling to identify their loved ones, with some victims only identified through fingerprints. Among the victims was Maeng Gi-su, 78, who lost his nephew and his nephew’s two sons, who were on their first international trip to celebrate a graduation.
The passengers included 173 South Koreans and two Thai nationals, aged between 3 and 78, with the majority in their 40s, 50s, and 60s.
Video footage of the crash showed the plane attempting to land without landing gear, veering off the runway, and colliding with a perimeter wall, followed by an explosion. The incident occurred around 09:00 local time (00:00 GMT).
An investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, with no immediate reports of issues during takeoff. South Korean transport officials noted that the plane had difficulty during its approach to land. The pilot, with over 6,800 flight hours, had initially aborted the landing due to bird interference. Shortly after, the pilot issued a Mayday call before attempting the emergency landing.
Local media suggested a malfunction in the landing gear, possibly caused by birds getting caught in the plane’s systems. A passenger reportedly sent a message to a relative about a bird stuck in the plane’s wing.
This disaster marks a national tragedy for South Korea, amid political unrest following the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol and his temporary successor. Acting President Choi Sang-mok, appointed just days before the crash, visited the site and expressed his condolences.
South Korea’s aviation industry is known for its safety record, making this incident especially devastating. This is the deadliest aviation accident in the country since the 1997 Korean Air crash in Guam, which killed over 200 people. It also marks Jeju Air’s first fatal accident since its establishment in 2005.
Jeju Air officials issued a public apology and pledged to do everything possible to assist the victims’ families and resolve the situation. Boeing, the manufacturer of the 737-800, has been in contact with the airline regarding the incident.
