Jeju Air Crash: Deadliest in South Korea Since 1997
- Yonhap News Agency
South Korea, VIVA – A devastating aviation accident occurred at Muan International Airport in South Korea on Sunday (Dec 29).
A Boeing 737-800 passenger plane operated by Jeju Air crashed while attempting an emergency landing.
The aircraft, carrying 181 people including 175 passengers and 6 crew members, plummeted to the ground and burst into a massive fireball upon belly-landing.
The plane had originally departed from Bangkok, Thailand, and was en route to Muan International Airport in southwestern South Korea. As it approached the airport around 9 AM local time, the aircraft experienced technical difficulties that necessitated an emergency landing.
Petugas melakukan operasi pencarian di lokasi kecelakaan pesawat Jeju Air
- Yonhap
According to local officials, the plane suffered damage to its landing gear, which failed to deploy properly.
Additionally, there are suspicions that severe weather conditions or a possible bird strike may have contributed to the crash.
After issuing a mayday call, the aircraft attempted an emergency landing. However, as the plane touched down, the airport also reported a potential bird strike that may have caused damage to the aircraft.
Footage broadcast by media outlets showed one of the plane's engines emitting flames moments before the landing. Upon impact, the aircraft disintegrated and erupted into a fireball.
As of that evening, official reports indicated that 179 people had perished in the accident.
Only two individuals survived, both crew members who were found in the tail section of the plane.
Officials stated that the aircraft had broken into numerous pieces, and only the tail section was recognizable after the crash.
The remainder of the plane was destroyed by the impact and fire.
Jeju Air, the low-cost carrier operating the aircraft, stated that the plane had no previous accident history.
Furthermore, the aircraft had undergone routine inspections before this flight.
This accident marks the worst aviation disaster in South Korea in nearly three decades.
Earlier, a big accident involving a Korean Air plane occurred in Guam in 1997, claiming the lives of 229 people.
The Jeju Air crash also represents the first fatal incident for the airline since its establishment in 2005.
Further investigations will be conducted to determine the exact cause of the crash.
Aviation officials will examine whether technical malfunctions with the aircraft or other factors such as weather and a bird strike led to the accident.
