The tail part of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 collection plane is seen beside rescue personnel after the aircraft crashed and burst into flames at Muan Worldwide Airport in South Jeolla Province, some 288 kilometres southwest of Seoul on December 29, 2024. – A Jeju Air aircraft carrying 181 folks from Bangkok to South Korea crashed on arrival on December 29, authorities advised AFP, with 29 confirmed useless and dramatic video displaying the plane bursting into flames. (Picture by YONHAP / AFP) / – South Korea OUT / NO USE AFTER JANUARY 8, 2025 02:44:47 GMT – – SOUTH KOREA OUT / NO ARCHIVES – RESTRICTED TO SUBSCRIPTION USE
A Jeju Air aircraft carrying 181 folks from Thailand to South Korea crashed on arrival Sunday, smashing right into a barrier and bursting into flames, leaving all however two feared useless.
A fowl strike and opposed climate situations had been cited by authorities as probably causes of the crash that flung passengers out of the aircraft and left it “virtually utterly destroyed”, in response to fireplace officers.
Video confirmed the Jeju Air aircraft from Bangkok touchdown on its stomach at Muan Worldwide Airport, skidding off the runway as smoke streamed out from the engines, earlier than crashing right into a wall and exploding in flames.
“Passengers had been ejected from the plane after it collided with the wall, leaving little probability of survival,” an area fireplace official advised households at a briefing, in response to an announcement launched by the hearth brigade.
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“The aircraft is sort of utterly destroyed, and figuring out the deceased is proving troublesome. The method is taking time as we find and recuperate the stays,” he was quoted as saying.
Solely two folks had been rescued, each flight attendants, and 120 folks had been confirmed useless by mid-afternoon, the hearth division mentioned in an announcement.
An AFP photographer noticed the burned-out wreckage of the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 plane on the runway at Muan — some 288 kilometers (about 190 miles) southwest of Seoul — as firefighters and emergency automobiles labored close by.
‘Mayday’
The accident came about in a matter of minutes from 9:03 am (0003 GMT) on Sunday in the course of the touchdown of Jeju Air Flight 2216, the Ministry of Land mentioned, with 175 passengers, together with two Thai nationals, and 6 crew onboard.
“It took roughly three minutes from the management tower’s point out of a fowl strike warning to the plane’s try and land on the runway once more,” it mentioned.
Two minutes earlier than the crash, the pilot issued a Mayday name, it added.
When requested if the accident occurred because of the runway being too quick — video reveals the aircraft coming off the tarmac and hitting a wall — the official mentioned this was probably not an element.
“The runway is 2,800 meters lengthy, and similar-sized plane have been working on it with out points,” they mentioned.
“It’s unlikely that the accident was attributable to the size of the runway.”
Lee Jeong-hyun, chief of Muan fireplace station, mentioned throughout a briefing that the trigger was “presumed to be a fowl strike mixed with opposed climate situations.”
“Nevertheless, the precise trigger will probably be introduced following a joint investigation,” Lee mentioned.
Low-cost service Jeju Air apologized and vowed to do all it might to assist.
“We sincerely apologize for inflicting concern,” the airline mentioned in an announcement posted on its social media channels.
Boeing mentioned in an announcement that it was in contact with Jeju Air and stood “able to assist them”.
Engulfed in flames
South Korea’s appearing President Choi Sang-mok, who solely took workplace Friday, convened an emergency assembly with cupboard members to debate rescue operations and response earlier than heading to Muan, his workplace mentioned.
“I consider no phrases of comfort would suffice for the bereaved households who’ve suffered this tragedy,” mentioned Choi.
“Your entire authorities is working intently collectively to handle the aftermath of the accident, dedicating all obtainable assets, whereas making each effort to make sure thorough assist for the bereaved households,” he added.
It’s the first deadly accident within the historical past of Jeju Air, one in every of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, which was arrange in 2005.
On August 12, 2007, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air carrying 74 passengers got here off the runway resulting from robust winds on the southern Busan-Gimhae airport, leading to a dozen accidents.
South Korea’s aviation business has a stable monitor file for security, specialists say.
Final 12 months, a passenger opened an emergency exit on an Asiana Airways flight because it was getting ready to land, with the plane touchdown safely however a number of folks hospitalized.
Quite a few deadly aviation accidents have occurred globally resulting from fowl strikes, which might trigger a lack of energy if the animals are sucked into the air intakes.
In 2009, a US Airways Airbus A320 famously landed in New York’s Hudson River after fowl strikes on each of its engines, in an incident extensively referred to as the “Miracle on the Hudson” as a result of there was no lack of life.