The crash of a plane belonging to the company “Jeju Air” in South Korea killed 179 people, after it slid off the runway during landing at Muan airport on Sunday morning.
The plane was carrying 181 people, including the crew. Of the victims, 85 were women and 84 were men, as well as 10 people whose gender was not determined, while two crew members survived.
The authorities explained that the fire broke out after the plane hit a concrete barrier, noting that the front landing wheels of the aircraft did not open, causing it to lose control.
The Ministry of Transport said the plane, a 15-year-old “Boeing 737-800”, was returning from Bangkok when the accident occurred at 9:03 a.m. local time.
Intensive rescue operations
Fire and rescue teams rushed to the scene of the accident and managed to rescue two crew members, who were described as being in a conscious state. Despite intensive efforts, which included the deployment of 32 fire engines and several helicopters, the fire completely destroyed the aircraft, leaving only its tail, according to the head of the moan fire station.
According to official sources, the incident killed 96 people immediately, while the number later rose to 167 after more bodies were recovered.
Preliminary investigations indicated that the plane may have collided with birds that caused a mechanical failure, while a government investigation team arrived at the scene to find out the final cause of the accident.
Official condolences and ongoing investigations
In an official statement, the company “Jeju Air” offered its deep apologies to the families of the victims, stressing its commitment to fully cooperate with the investigations. The head of the company also appeared at a press conference bowing apologetically, admitting full responsibility for the disaster, although he emphasized that the aircraft underwent periodic checks and no mechanical problems were detected.
For her part, baitungtharn Shinawatra, prime minister of Thailand, expressed her condolences to the families of the victims via the “X” platform, noting the presence of two of her compatriots among the passengers, and ordered to provide the necessary support.
This accident is one of the worst aviation disasters in South Korea since the 1997 accident that killed 228 people in Guam. It comes at a time when the country is experiencing a suffocating political crisis, following the announcement of the emergency law by President Yun Suk-Yul and his subsequent dismissal, which added additional burdens on the authorities trying to deal with the repercussions of the incident.
