KUALA LUMPUR – A devastating plane crash involving Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 has likely claimed the lives of all but two of the 181 people on board after the aircraft veered off the runway and collided with a wall at Muan International Airport, South Korea, on Sunday.
The Boeing 737-800, which departed from Bangkok, crash-landed at 9.07am local time today (8.07am Malaysian time) in Muan county, South Jeolla Province, approximately 288 kilometres southwest of Seoul.
Firefighting authorities confirmed 85 fatalities so far and said that the remaining passengers are presumed dead as search operations to recover bodies are underway.
Emergency responders managed to rescue two survivors – a passenger and a crew member, both women – who are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Mokpo.
The aircraft, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, was engulfed in flames after it skidded along the runway without its landing gear deployed, eventually crashing into a concrete wall.
Videos aired by local TV stations showed the plane attempting to land before it erupted in flames and was almost entirely destroyed. Most passengers were South Korean nationals, with two Thai nationals confirmed among those on board.
Authorities suspect a landing gear malfunction, possibly caused by a bird strike, led to the crash. The aircraft reportedly failed to slow down after an initial failed landing attempt, ultimately veering off the runway and colliding with airport structures.
South Jeolla Province Fire Service Headquarters told CNN that the majority of the aircraft was “almost completely destroyed” by the explosion, leaving little hope for further survivors. Yonhap News Agency reported that emergency alerts were raised to the highest level, with all available rescue and police personnel deployed to the site.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok visited the crash site around noon and extended condolences to the victims’ families. He instructed officials to prioritise search operations and pledged full government support for the bereaved.
The presidential office has convened an emergency meeting, led by Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk, to coordinate government responses.
Acting National Police Agency Commissioner-General Lee Ho-young also ordered officials to mobilise all available resources in collaboration with firefighting and related agencies to assist with rescue efforts.
This incident comes just days after another aviation disaster involving Azerbaijan Airlines, which resulted in 38 fatalities, marking a sombre period in global aviation. – December 29, 2024
