South Korea’s Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed during an attempted landing at the Muan International Airport in the country’s southwestern region, leaving 179 onboard dead.
The Boeing 737-800, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, veered off the runway and collided with a wall at around 9:07 AM local time, igniting a catastrophic fire.
Details emerging from the scene indicate that the plane was attempting a belly landing after its landing gear failed to deploy. The aircraft struck the airport’s perimeter fence, leading to an explosion and a massive plume of black smoke that was visible for miles.
Firefighters quickly responded to the scene, battling the blaze and working to evacuate survivors from the tail section of the aircraft, which was less affected by the fire.
Two individuals have been pulled from the wreckage alive and are currently receiving medical treatment.
All 179 passengers are have died in the crash.
The cause of the crash is under investigation, with preliminary findings suggesting a possible bird strike might have led to the landing gear malfunction.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who recently took office amidst South Korea’s political turmoil, has already ordered that all available resources be mobilized to aid in the response.
Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s leading low-cost carriers, operates numerous flights between South Korea and Southeast Asia. This incident marks a dark moment for the airline, which has a safe operational history until this tragedy. The airline has temporarily halted operations at Muan Airport to facilitate the investigation and response efforts.