On 29th of December, South Korea witnessed one of the deadliest plane crashes. The tragedy broke out in South Korea after the Jeju Air 737-800 carrying 181 passengers met with a deadly crash at South Korea’s Muan International Airport and burst into flames.The flight came all the way from Bangkok, Thailand and was attempting to land at Muan Airport at 9:07 a.m.
As per reports, the aircraft veered off the runway with its landing gear still retracted, colliding with a concrete fence. The impact caused the plane to burst into flames, leaving only the tail assembly recognizable amid the wreckage. According to authorities all but 2 must have lost their lives in the crash.
Authorities have confirmed 85 fatalities so far, including 46 women and 39 men, with the remaining victims presumed dead. The flight carried 175 passengers, primarily South Koreans, along with six crew members. Emergency efforts have transitioned into recovery operations to locate the bodies of those still missing.
The crash has drawn global condolences. Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed his sympathies to the victims’ families and pledged assistance. Jeju Air issued a statement offering a “deep apology” and vowed to manage the aftermath of the tragedy.
Acting South Korean President Choi Sung-mok directed government agencies to prioritize rescue efforts, while officials suspect a possible landing gear failure, potentially caused by a bird strike, as the cause of the crash. An investigation is underway. The crash marks the first major aviation incident at Muan International Airport, a key hub in South Jeolla province.
Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the Muan fire station in television briefing mentioned, “The plane was completely destroyed, with only the tail assembly remaining recognisable among the wreckage,”
The tragedy comes in less a week after the Azerbaijan flight crash that took place on the 25th of December. The Azerbaijan flight was an Embraer 190 aircraft, operating flight J2-8243 that was traveling from Baku to Gronzy. The tragedy claimed the lives of 42 innocent beings.
