In a tragic incident, all but two of the 181 individuals aboard a Jeju Air passenger plane lost their lives when the aircraft skidded off a runway at Muan International Airport in South Korea. Following a failed deployment of its front landing gear, the plane collided with a concrete fence and caught fire. The National Fire Agency reported that emergency responders hurried to extract people from the wreckage in Muan, located approximately 180 miles south of Seoul. The passengers included 85 women, 84 men, and 10 individuals whose genders were not immediately identifiable. Sadly, 179 individuals perished in the crash, with only two crew members surviving and remaining conscious, as confirmed by local health officials.
The Transport Ministry disclosed that the Boeing 737-800 jet, which was 15 years old, had been returning from Bangkok when the tragic incident occurred at 9:03 am local time. Subsequently, a massive rescue operation was launched, involving 1,560 firefighters, police officers, soldiers, and various officials, alongside 32 fire trucks and multiple helicopters to combat the blaze. Distressing footage broadcasted on YTN television captured the aircraft skidding across the airstrip with its landing gear still retracted, ultimately colliding head-on with a concrete wall at the edge of the airport premises.
Authorities are investigating various potential causes for the crash, including the possibility of a bird strike. Initial assessments from communication records revealed that the airport control tower had issued a bird strike warning to the aircraft shortly before its intended landing and had granted the pilot approval to land in an alternative area. Just before overshooting the runway, the pilot transmitted a distress signal, leading to the aircraft skidding into a buffer zone before crashing into the wall. The Transport Ministry confirmed that the plane’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been recovered for further examination by government experts.
Jeju Air expressed profound regret over the accident, assuring that they will diligently manage the aftermath and cooperate with authorities during investigations into the incident’s cause. Meanwhile, Boeing extended their deepest condolences to the families of the victims and pledged their readiness to support Jeju Air in addressing the crash. The catastrophic event ranks among the deadliest in South Korea’s aviation history, overshadowed only by past disasters such as the Korean Airline plane crash in Guam in 1997, and the Asiana Airlines crash-landing in San Francisco in 2013.
As South Korea grapples with this aviation tragedy, the country is already embroiled in a significant political crisis initiated by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s imposition of martial law and subsequent impeachment proceedings. The depth of this catastrophe reflects the enduring challenges associated with air travel safety and the critical need for ongoing vigilance and regulatory oversight within the aviation industry. The thoughts and prayers of many are with the families and loved ones of those impacted by this devastating event.