MUAN COUNTY, South Korea, Dec 29 (Reuters) – In the worst aviation disaster in South Korea’s history, 179 people lost their lives on Sunday when an airliner belly-landed and skidded off the runway before crashing into a wall and erupting in flames at Muan International Airport.
Jeju Air flight 7C2216, en route from Bangkok, Thailand, was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members when it attempted to land at 9 a.m. (0000 GMT). The South Korean transport ministry confirmed that only two crew members survived the crash and are being treated for injuries.
Catastrophic Crash
The Boeing 737-800 twin-engine jet, built in 2009, was caught on video skidding down the runway without visible landing gear before it struck navigation equipment and a wall. The impact caused a fiery explosion, leaving the aircraft unrecognizable except for its tail section.
“Only the tail part retains a little bit of shape; the rest of the plane looks almost impossible to recognize,” said Muan fire chief Lee Jung-hyun during a press briefing.
The surviving crew members, a man and a woman, were rescued from the tail section. Both are hospitalized with medium to severe injuries. Emergency responders and soldiers are combing the crash site and surrounding areas for additional victims.
Possible Causes Under Investigation
Investigators are probing bird strikes and weather conditions as potential causes. According to airport authorities, a bird strike may have caused the landing gear to malfunction. Shortly before the crash, the control tower issued a bird strike warning, and the pilots declared a mayday before attempting to land from the opposite direction.
A passenger’s final text message mentioned a bird stuck in the wing: “Should I say my last words?” local media reported.
Experts expressed skepticism over whether a bird strike alone could result in such a catastrophic event. “Bird strikes happen far more often, but typically they don’t cause the loss of an airplane by themselves,” said Geoffrey Thomas, editor of Airline News.
Under international aviation protocols, South Korea will lead the investigation with support from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as the plane was manufactured in the United States.
A National Tragedy
The disaster is the deadliest involving a South Korean airline since a 1997 Korean Air crash in Guam that killed over 200 people. It surpasses the previous worst on South Korean soil: a 2002 Air China crash that claimed 129 lives.
Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae apologized during a televised briefing, stating the aircraft had no prior record of malfunctions. He pledged full cooperation with investigators and support for the victims’ families.
Many passengers were local residents returning from vacations. Families gathered at the airport, some crying and hugging as officials announced victims’ names. A temporary morgue was set up to handle the bodies.
One grieving relative said, “My older brother died, and I don’t know what’s going on.” Another pleaded with journalists not to film, saying, “We are not monkeys in a zoo; we are the bereaved families.”
Global Condolences
The crash claimed the lives of two Thai nationals, ages 22 and 45, according to Thailand’s foreign ministry. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed condolences and instructed officials to assist families traveling to South Korea.
Jeju Air, founded in 2005, is South Korea’s largest low-cost carrier and ranks behind Korean Air and Asiana Airlines in passenger numbers. This was the airline’s first fatal incident.
Boeing expressed its condolences in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of Jeju Air flight 2216. Our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”
Interim President Visits Scene
South Korea’s acting President, Choi Sang-mok, who assumed office amid a political crisis, visited the crash site and promised full government support for the investigation and relief efforts.
“The government is putting all its resources into dealing with the crash,” Choi said.
All domestic and international flights at Muan International Airport have been suspended. The airport, one of South Korea’s smallest, has recently experienced a surge in international passenger traffic, with numbers rising nearly 20-fold in 2023.
The tragedy has left the nation mourning as investigators work to uncover the cause of this catastrophic accident.
Source: News Agencies
