Seoul, Dec 29: In a devastating crash, at least 179 people lost their lives after a Jeju Air passenger jet crashed at South Korea's Muan International Airport on Sunday morning.
South Korean authorities reported that two survivors—a female passenger and a crew member—had a miraculous escape as they were rescued from the wreckage.
As per reports, the aircraft was carrying with 175 passengers and six crew members on board. It veered off the runway at 9:07 a.m. local time and crashed into a concrete wall at the airport, situated 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul.
The flight was returning from Bangkok, carrying mostly South Korean passengers along with two Thai nationals.
The horrifying moment when the plane attempted to land without deployed landing gear has been captured wherein the aircraft can be seen skidding across the ground before colliding with a wall and bursting into flames.
Emergency responders have so far confirmed 85 fatalities. The two survivors were swiftly rescued and taken to a hospital in nearby Mokpo for medical treatment.
Around noon, Acting President Choi Sang-mok visited the crash site and assured full government support for the victims' families.
Preliminary investigations suggest a potential landing gear failure, with authorities exploring the possibility that a bird strike may have contributed to the malfunction. At 11:30 a.m. local time, the presidential office held an emergency meeting, led by Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk, to coordinate the government’s response.
Acting National Police Agency Commissioner-General Lee Ho-young has directed the mobilization of all available resources to aid in the rescue and recovery efforts.
The investigation into the matter to ascertain the exact cause behind the crash is underway.
