A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed this morning at Muan International Airport, South Korea, with 181 aboard. 179 persons are feared dead. According to Yonhap News, rescuers pulled out two survivors from the wreckage, but sources said most passengers are dead. Rescue teams in the South Korea air disaster continue to search the wreckage for more victims. They recovered 120 bodies as at press time.
The Boeing 737-800, flight 7C2216, was flying from Bangkok when it attempted a belly landing. The plane’s landing gear failed to deploy, leading to the crash. Witnesses reported hearing loud bangs before the plane struck the airport’s perimeter wall and exploded. Authorities are investigating a possible bird strike that may have caused the crash.
Firefighters confirmed that they rescued two people from the aircraft’s tail section. They were one passenger and one crew member. Both survivors are receiving medical treatment for moderate to severe injuries. Authorities have divided the crash site into three zones to continue searching for missing victims. Fire consumed much of the fuselage after the plane broke into pieces.
Observers say this crash is potentially South Korea’s worst aviation disaster in modern history. It surpasses the 1993 Asiana crash that incident killed 68 people. The crash has shocked the nation, as many passengers were families returning from Christmas holidays. Rescue efforts are ongoing. About 169 forensic investigators and 579 officers are reportedly working at the scene.
Details of the South Korean Air disaster
Witnesses described seeing sparks on the plane’s right wing just before the crash, followed by a loud explosion. Another witness heard metallic scraping sounds before the plane attempted a second landing and exploded. Yonhap News spoke to witnesses who recalled seeing the plane’s engine on fire before the final impact.
At 08:57, air traffic controllers warned the plane of bird strike risks. The pilot declared a mayday at 08:58. At 09:03, the aircraft crashed into the airport’s perimeter wall after attempting an emergency landing. Fire authorities confirmed they recovered bodies of 120 victims, including 54 men and 57 women.
South Korea’s transport ministry is overseeing the investigation, and the National Police Agency has dispatched forensic teams. Officials confirmed the flight data recorder was recovered, but they are sill searching for the cockpit voice recorder. Investigators are focusing on the sequence of events that led to the crash.
The crash site has been divided into three zones to continue the search. Authorities are working quickly to identify victims. Rescue efforts remain focused on the fuselage’s tail section, where rescuers found the two survivors. They are both in critical condition, but their identities have not been disclosed.
The passengers’ nationalities
Many passengers were families returning from Thailand after spending Christmas holidays there. The flight carried 175 passengers and 6 crew members. Most of the passengers were South Koreans, with two Thai nationals on board. The experts are still investigating the cause of the crash, but they suspect bird strikes and landing gear failure.
If confirmed, this would be South Korea’s first major low-cost carrier disaster. Jeju Air, the airline involved, has not yet issued a full statement. Previous aviation accidents in South Korea include the 1993 Asiana crash and the 2002 Air China disaster, both of which resulted in significant casualties.
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