South Korea Rescuers assume 179 dead in plane crash
A passenger plane coming from Thailand and carrying 181 passengers has crashed while landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea.
29.12.2024, 05:42
SDA
As the official Yonhap news agency reported, citing the fire department, there were probably only two survivors in the accident on Sunday morning (local time). This would make it one of the worst plane crashes in years. According to Yonhap, a total of 173 South Korean and two Thai passengers and six crew members were on board the plane.
The Boeing 737-8AS of the South Korean budget airline Jeju Air, which had arrived from the Thai capital Bangkok, overshot the runway shortly after 9.00 a.m. (local time) and crashed into a catch fence behind the runway. A video shown on South Korean television showed the plane skidding across the runway without its landing gear deployed, crashing at the end of the runway and bursting into flames.
First assumption about the cause of the accident
Yonhap reported, citing the authorities, that a bird strike - i.e. a collision with one or more birds - could have led to the landing gear malfunction. According to the report, the pilots made an initial landing attempt, but aborted it and then attempted a crash landing. However, they apparently did not manage to reduce the speed of the aircraft with the fuselage touching down sufficiently before the end of the runway was reached.
Pictures taken from a distance initially showed huge dark clouds of smoke over the scene of the accident. Photos published later showed burning wreckage and charred debris from the destroyed plane as well as fire engines from the fire department. Dozens of rescue workers were deployed at the scene of the accident, extinguishing the flames and initiating the rescue of surviving passengers. At the same time, investigations into the cause of the accident were ongoing.
All other flights to and from Muan were canceled. The airport, which was opened in 2007 after ten years of construction, is located in the south-western province of Jeolla - just under 300 kilometers from the capital Seoul. Western airlines do not fly to the airport.
Airline apologizes
Jeju Air published a letter of apology on the Internet. "We deeply apologize to everyone affected by the incident at Muan Airport," the airline wrote on its website. The company regrets the suffering caused and will do everything in its power to clear up the accident.
President Choi Sang Mok, who is only acting as executive in the midst of the ongoing state crisis in South Korea, ordered comprehensive rescue measures and went to the scene of the accident.
