South Korea Plane Crash: At least 179 individuals are feared dead following a catastrophic plane crash at Muan International Airport in South Korea on Sunday morning, as reported by the news agency Yonhap, citing firefighters. To date, only two survivors have been extracted from the wreckage. The Jeju Air flight, which was traveling from Bangkok, was carrying a total of 181 passengers and crew when it crashed while attempting an emergency landing at approximately 9:03 AM local time.
The Boeing 737-800, which reportedly suffered a failure of its landing gear, attempted a belly landing at Muan International Airport. Eyewitnesses reported hearing loud “bang” sounds just prior to the aircraft colliding with the airport’s perimeter wall, resulting in the plane breaking apart upon impact and igniting into flames. Local broadcaster MBC aired footage indicating that a bird strike may have occurred during the plane’s descent.
Video footage released by local media depicted the twin-engine aircraft skidding along the runway without visible landing gear before crashing into a wall, leading to an explosion of flames and debris. Additional images showed smoke and fire consuming various sections of the aircraft.
As emergency personnel continue to search through the debris, fire officials have confirmed that two individuals—a passenger and a crew member—were rescued from the tail section of the aircraft. Both survivors are currently receiving medical care at a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, authorities are concentrating on recovering additional bodies that remain trapped within the fuselage.
This incident represents a tragic milestone in South Korea’s aviation history. If confirmed, it would be the most severe domestic civil aviation disaster in the country’s history.
Furthermore, this marks the first fatal accident for Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s largest low-cost airlines, which was established in 2005.
