In a heart-wrenching tragedy that has stunned South Korea, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by Jeju Air crashed during an emergency landing attempt at Muan International Airport on Sunday morning. The flight, which had departed from Bangkok, was carrying 181 individuals, including both passengers and crew members.
As rescue teams combed through the wreckage, the death toll is feared to be 179, with only two survivors miraculously found in the tail section of the aircraft. The survivors, a male passenger and a female crew member, were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, with their current conditions being closely monitored.
The disaster occurred around 9:03 AM local time, after the plane’s landing gear reportedly failed to deploy. Eyewitnesses described hearing a series of loud bangs as the aircraft struggled to descend, before it crashed into the airport’s perimeter wall. The impact caused the plane to break into two parts, igniting a fierce fire that consumed the wreckage.
Local media reports suggest the plane may have been struck by a bird as it descended, which could have been a contributing factor to the catastrophic failure. Footage aired by MBC appeared to show a bird strike moments before the plane’s fatal descent. As fire authorities shifted from rescue operations to recovery, they revealed that the fuselage was beyond recognition, except for the tail section, which had been separated from the rest of the aircraft.
The flight had been carrying many holidaymakers returning from a five-day Christmas vacation in Bangkok, a popular seasonal route that had been in operation since December 8. This tragic crash, the deadliest civil aviation disaster in South Korea’s history, marks a grim milestone as the country’s first major casualty incident involving a low-cost carrier.
Fire officials have reported that some victims were ejected from the plane during impact, further complicating the recovery efforts. Authorities are now working tirelessly to identify the victims, cross-referencing the passenger manifest with seating positions on the aircraft.
As South Korea grapples with the shock of this loss, the incident serves as a painful reminder of the fragility of life and the devastating consequences when disaster strikes. The mourning will likely resonate throughout the nation as families and loved ones await the confirmation of those lost in this unimaginable tragedy.
