At least 120 people were killed when a Jeju Air flight crash-landed without its landing gear at South Korea’s Muan International Airport on Sunday, according to the national fire agency.
The Boeing 737-800, arriving from Bangkok, erupted into flames and collided with a wall shortly after 9 a.m. local time, marking the deadliest aviation accident involving a South Korean airline in nearly three decades.
Catastrophic Crash
Flight 7C2216 was carrying 181 passengers and crew when it attempted to land in adverse conditions. Dramatic footage captured the plane skidding on the runway before a fireball explosion engulfed the fuselage. Photos from the scene show smoke and flames consuming the wreckage, with only the tail section retaining some recognizable shape.
Muan fire chief Lee Jung-hyun confirmed that two crew members were rescued from the tail section and transported to a hospital with severe injuries. Authorities transitioned from rescue to recovery efforts, fearing additional bodies may have been thrown from the aircraft due to the force of the impact.
Grim Aftermath
Authorities have established a temporary morgue, and recovery workers in protective suits are scouring the crash site, which smelled of aviation fuel and blood, according to eyewitness accounts. Yonhap News reported that nearly all passengers and crew are presumed dead.
Investigators are considering bird strikes and weather conditions as possible causes of the crash. Preliminary reports suggest a bird may have become lodged in the aircraft’s wing, leading to a malfunction of the landing gear.
One passenger reportedly texted a relative shortly before the crash, saying, “Should I say my last words?”
Airline and Government Response
Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae offered a public apology during a televised briefing, pledging full cooperation with investigators and prioritizing support for victims’ families. The airline confirmed that the aircraft, manufactured in 2009, had no prior accidents or indications of malfunction.
South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok visited the crash site, emphasizing the government’s commitment to managing the crisis. All flights at Muan International Airport have been canceled.
International Reactions
The passengers included two Thai nationals, aged 22 and 45, with the remainder believed to be South Korean. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed condolences and directed her foreign ministry to assist in the investigation and support affected families.
Boeing also issued a statement offering condolences and pledged to support Jeju Air and South Korean authorities in determining the cause of the accident.
This tragedy is the worst air disaster involving a South Korean airline since the 1997 Korean Air crash in Guam, which claimed over 200 lives. The global aviation industry is now watching closely as authorities work to uncover the factors that led to this devastating crash.(With reports from Reuters)