In one of South Korea’s worst aviation tragedies, a passenger airliner skidded and crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport, killing at least 179 people.
The Jeju Air flight, which was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members from Bangkok, Thailand, landed at Muan International Airport approximately 290 kilometres (180 miles) southwest of Seoul on Sunday at 9:03 a.m. local time (00:03 gmt).
According to the National Fire Agency, two crew members were rescued and 179 persons were murdered, including 85 women, 84 men, and 10 others whose genders were not immediately apparent.
According to the service, the fire that consumed the aircraft has been put out. According to the agency, “contact with birds, resulting in malfunctioning landing gear” during the plane’s attempt to land at the airport is thought to have caused the tragedy.
The tragedy has been deemed the deadliest in South Korean history, according to Rob McBride of Al Jazeera, who reported from Seoul.
The plane appears to have landed on its belly, skidded along the runway, and then exploded massively, according to images that have appeared in the local media, he added. “A catastrophic fire has been depicted in the images we have been seeing, and eyewitness reports have mentioned a series of explosions since then,” our source continued.
Only 65 of the 179 deceased have been recognised thus far, according to McBride, due to the massive fire aboard the aircraft.
In response to the jet tragedy, the South Korean government has proclaimed seven days of national mourning.
Two Thai people were reportedly on board the 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 aircraft, while the other passengers were thought to be South Koreans.
The relatives of the crash victims have received sincere condolences from Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.
In a social media post, the prime minister stated that Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been directed to look into if Thai people were on the aircraft and to offer “assistance immediately.”
Thick clouds of black smoke were seen emerging from the plane in one image that was circulated by local media.
Another depicted firefighters and rescue vehicles close by as the jet’s tail part caught fire on what looked to be the runway’s side.
According to the nation’s News1 agency, a traveler texted a family member to inform them that a bird had been lodged in the wing. “Should I say my last words?” was the person’s last message.
Meanwhile, Choi Sang-mok, the acting president of South Korea, directed “all-out efforts for rescue operations” at the Muan airport.
In a statement, he instructed officials, “All related agencies… must mobilise all available resources to save the personnel.”
One of the biggest low-cost airlines in South Korea, Jeju Air, was founded in 2005 and apologised for the disaster, stating that it will “do everything in our power in response to this accident.”
Although a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air and carrying 74 passengers went off the runway at the southern Busan Gimhae airport in August 2007 owing to strong winds, resulting in 12 injuries, this crash marks the airline’s first fatal accident.
The incident occurred as South Korea is currently experiencing a severe political crisis brought on by the shocking declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol.