A tragic plane crash occurred at Muan International Airport in South Korea, as a passenger plane skidded off the runway and caught fire. According to Yonhap, 179 people are believed to have perished, leaving only two survivors.
The Jeju Air flight was carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew members on its return journey from Thailand when the accident happened during landing. The crash occurred at 9:07 AM local time, when the aircraft veered off the runway and collided with the airport fence. Muan Airport is located in Muan County, about 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul.
Social media footage showed smoke rising from the plane as it was engulfed in flames.
South Korean rescue teams are currently working to save those trapped inside the wreckage. According to Yonhap, authorities are focusing on rescuing survivors from the plane’s tail section.
Several international news outlets, citing the National Fire Agency of South Korea, have reported that the death toll stands at 85. However, Yonhap news agency claims that 179 people are believed to have died, with only two survivors. CNN reported that of the 85 confirmed dead, 39 were men and 46 were women. The survivors, according to Yonhap, are both female, with one being a crew member and the other a passenger.
The Korea Herald noted that due to the plane being broken into pieces, the likelihood of finding more survivors is very slim. Local fire agencies stated during a brief meeting with the victims’ families that identification of the bodies would be difficult due to the extent of the damage.
The aircraft’s fuselage was completely destroyed in the crash, and rescue teams are continuing to search for body parts. A temporary morgue has been set up to store the recovered remains.
With many of the bodies not intact, identification efforts are becoming increasingly challenging, as reported by South Korean media.
Rescue teams will begin searching for the plane’s black box after all bodies have been recovered, according to the South Korean Ministry of Transport.
A total of 700 personnel, including police, military, and coast guard members, have been deployed to the scene to assist with the recovery operation. Efforts have now shifted to recovering the bodies, as the chances of finding additional survivors are extremely low.
One passenger reportedly texted their family before the disaster, according to the Korea Herald. “A bird is stuck on the plane’s wing, and we can’t land. Should I say my last words?” The message was sent shortly before the crash, and the family has not been able to contact the passenger since.
Acting President Choi Sung-mok has ordered all necessary rescue efforts. Choi is serving as the acting president after Prime Minister Han Duck-soo was impeached by the National Assembly on December 28.
Yonhap reported that most of the passengers on board were South Korean, with the exception of two Thai citizens. Approximately 40 minutes later, the fire was extinguished, and by 10:30 AM local time, rescuers had located two survivors—one passenger and one crew member.
Around 80 firefighters were deployed to the scene. South Korean authorities suspect the aircraft may have experienced landing gear failure, possibly due to a bird strike. An investigation team is on-site to determine the cause of the crash.
According to South Korean media, the plane had a failed first landing attempt. During the second attempt, the landing gear failed to deploy, and the pilot decided to make a belly landing. However, the aircraft was unable to slow down and ran off the runway.
This marks the first fatal accident in the history of Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, which was founded in 2005. In August 2007, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air, carrying 74 passengers, skidded off the runway at Busan-Gimhae Airport due to strong winds, injuring dozens. Experts note that South Korea’s aviation industry is generally highly reliable in terms of safety, according to Al Jazeera.
