RNS: At least 124 people have been confirmed dead after a plane carrying 181 people crashed at Muan Airport in South Korea on Sunday morning, authorities reported. The aircraft, Jeju Air flight 2216, skidded off the runway during its landing and burst into flames after striking a fence. The Boeing 737-800 had been returning from Thailand.
According to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency, the crash occurred in South Jeolla province. Rescue operations were immediately launched, with emergency services rescuing two survivors from the wreckage. However, some reports have indicated that no other passengers survived, with only the two rescued individuals being accounted for.
The plane was carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew members. The crash, which occurred around 9 a.m., followed a failed belly landing attempt. The impact caused a massive fire, sending thick black smoke billowing above the crash site.
Initial investigations suggest the crash may have been caused by bird strikes, which reportedly led to a malfunction in the aircraft’s landing gear. Jeju Air expressed its deep sorrow in a statement, saying: “We deeply apologize to all those affected by the incident at Muan Airport. We will make every effort to resolve the situation. We sincerely regret the distress caused.”
Acting President Choi Sang-mok of South Korea issued an urgent statement, directing all related agencies to mobilize every available resource for rescue operations. “All related agencies must mobilize all available resources to save the personnel,” he said.
This tragedy marks the second deadly air disaster in less than a week. On Wednesday, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38 people. The plane, Flight J2-8243, had diverted from its route due to Ukrainian drone attacks in southern Russia before it crashed near the city of Aktau.
