SEOUL, South Korea — A commercial airplane skidded off a runway, collided with a concrete barrier, and erupted into flames on Sunday in South Korea, allegedly due to a malfunctioning landing gear. Nearly all of the 181 people aboard perished, marking one of the nation’s most devastating aviation tragedies, according to officials.
The 737-800, operated by Jeju Air, was coming from Bangkok and crashed during its landing attempt in Muan, approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Seoul.
South Korean television broadcast footage showing the aircraft sliding down the runway at a high velocity, seemingly with its landing gear still retracted, before crashing into a concrete wall and causing an explosion. Other channels depicted massive clouds of black smoke emerging from the aircraft engulfed in flames.
The South Korean fire agency confirmed that 179 individuals died in the crash, while two crew members were rescued and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, as stated by health officials.
Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the Muan fire station, shared in a televised briefing that the airplane was entirely devastated, with only the tail section remaining identifiable among the debris. Investigators are exploring the crash’s cause, including the possibility of bird strikes, according to Lee.
Before the plane was cleared to land, the control tower issued a warning about birds to the flight crew and advised them to land in an alternate area, officials confirmed. A distress call was made by the crew shortly prior to the incident.
Joo Jong-wan, a senior Transport Ministry official, reported that the jet’s flight data and cockpit voice records have been recovered. Investigations could take several months to conclude. The runway at Muan airport will remain closed until January 1, the ministry announced.
Kyle Bailey, a former FAA safety team representative in the U.S., suggested to Fox News that the aircraft may have been moving too quickly as it skidded, ultimately colliding with a structure meant for instrument landings. “That’s pretty much what resulted in disaster for that airplane,” he noted.
One survivor is receiving treatment for rib, shoulder blade, and upper spine fractures, according to Ju Woong, director of Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital. The survivor, whose identity remains undisclosed, recounted to the medical team that he “woke up to find (himself) rescued.” Information regarding the other survivor has not been disclosed.
The majority of passengers were South Korean, with two originating from Thailand. Identification of 88 passengers was completed within a few hours following the tragedy, according to the fire agency.
The Prime Minister of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, conveyed condolences to the victims’ families via a post on X, stating that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been instructed to provide assistance.
Boonchuay Duangmanee, the father of a Thai passenger, shared with The Associated Press that his daughter, Jongluk, had been employed in a factory in South Korea for several years and had returned to Thailand to visit family.
“I never thought that this would be the last time we would see each other forever,” he expressed.
Kerati Kijmanawat, the head of Thailand’s airports, confirmed that Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 left Suvarnabhumi Airport without any reported irregularities from the aircraft or the runway.
In its statement, Jeju Air extended its “deep apologies” for the crash, stating its commitment to managing the incident’s aftermath effectively.
In a news conference broadcasted live, the company’s president, Kim E-bae, bowed profoundly alongside other officials while apologizing to the victims’ families, stating that he feels “full responsibility” for the disaster. He also mentioned that no mechanical issues had been found in the aircraft following standard evaluations and that they would await the outcomes of governmental investigations into the incident’s cause.
In a lounge at Muan airport, family members wept as officials disclosed the names of some victims.
Boeing issued a statement on X, saying they are in communication with Jeju Air and are prepared to assist the airline in responding to the crash.
This incident occurs as South Korea grapples with a political crisis stemming from President Yoon Suk Yeol’s unexpected declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachment. Last Friday, South Korean lawmakers impeached acting President Han Duck-soo and suspended his duties, appointing Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok in his place.
Choi, who visited the crash site in Muan, urged officials to dedicate all available resources to identifying the deceased swiftly. The government has designated Muan as a special disaster area and initiated a weeklong period of national mourning.
Yoon’s office reported that his chief secretary, Chung Jin-suk, led an emergency meeting with senior presidential staff to address the crash, providing updates to Choi. Yoon expressed condolences to the victims in a post on Facebook.
Pope Francis, during a gathering in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, stated that he included “prayers for the survivors and the deceased” in his thoughts.
This tragic event stands as one of the most lethal incidents in South Korea’s aviation history. The last major air disaster occurred in 1997 when a Korean Airlines plane crashed in Guam, claiming 228 lives. In 2013, an Asiana Airlines flight crash-landed in San Francisco, resulting in three fatalities and approximately 200 injuries.
Sunday’s mishap is also noted as one of the gravest landing incidents since a July 2007 disaster in Sao Paulo, Brazil, where an Airbus A320 slid off a slippery runway, killing all 187 individuals aboard and 12 on the ground, according to data collected by the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit focused on enhancing air safety.
In 2010, an Air India Express aircraft overflowed the runway in Mangalore, India, resulting in 158 fatalities after plunging into a gorge and catching fire, according to the same safety foundation.
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