A tragic plane crash at a South Korean airport is feared to have claimed the lives of all but two of the 181 passengers and crew on board.
The Jeju Air flight, a Boeing 737-800 jet, had taken off from Bangkok, Thailand, before crash-landing at Muan airport in South Korea.
Disturbing news footage captured the plane skidding down the runway with its landing gear appearing to remain retracted. It then collided with a wall and erupted into a massive fireball.
The crash occurred at 9:03 a.m. local time, prompting an immediate response from emergency services, who rushed to the scene in an effort to save lives.
Out of the 181 people aboard the flight, only two survivors have been rescued so far—both crew members. This has led to fears that the remaining passengers may not have survived.
South Korea’s National Fire Agency has confirmed the deaths of at least 174 individuals, including 83 women, 80 men, and 11 individuals who could not be immediately identified due to the intensity of the fire.
Officials reported that the tail section was the only recognizable part of the wreckage left after the crash. An investigation is now underway to determine the cause of this devastating accident.
Preliminary assessments from South Korea’s transport ministry revealed that communication logs indicated the airport’s control tower had issued a bird strike warning to the aircraft shortly before the crash. The plane had also been given permission to divert to another airport.
A distress signal was sent from the aircraft moments before it went down. Investigators have since recovered the flight data and cockpit voice recorders, which will be analyzed to uncover what led to the disaster.
Jeju Air issued a “deep apology” for the crash, pledging to “do the utmost to manage the aftermath of the accident.”
Airline chief Kim E-bae expressed “full responsibility” for the tragedy, emphasizing that routine checks had not revealed any mechanical issues with the aircraft. He stated that the company would await the results of the government’s investigation into the crash.
Boeing, the plane’s manufacturer, has offered to assist in the aftermath, stating: “We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”
This heartbreaking incident comes on the heels of another recent aviation tragedy, where an Azerbaijan Airlines flight carrying 67 people crashed in Kazakhstan on Christmas Day, resulting in 38 fatalities.