Bhubaneswar: Ninety-six people were confirmed dead after a flight from Bangkok, Thailand, overshot the runway during landing at Muan International Airport at around 9 am on Sunday, and erupted into a fireball after colliding with the perimeter fence.
The Yonhap news agency reported that the plane veered off the runway and crashed, with emergency services quickly arriving at the scene.
According to reports, two people were found alive amidst the wreckage of the aircraft, operated by Jeju Air. It was carrying 181 people including six flight attendants.
A South Korean fire department official said that the chances of survival for the remaining passengers aboard are slim. “Passengers were ejected from the aircraft after it collided with the barrier, leaving little chance of survival,” Daily Tribune reported, quoting a statement from the local fire department.
Local media outlets shared photos showing smoke billowing from the aircraft shortly after the crash.
South Korean Plane Crash
No landing Gear.
— Mike (@PantherMike182) December 29, 2024
The CEO of South Korean airline Jeju Air apologised to the victims of the plane crash, which reports attributed to a landing gear failure, possibly due to a bird strike.
“The cause of the accident is presumed to be a bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions. However, the exact cause will be announced following a joint investigation,” Lee Jeong-hyun, chief of Muan fire station, said during a briefing.
The control tower had sent a warning about a bird strike to the plane before the crash occurred, according to South Korea’s transport ministry.
The incident comes close on the heels of the Azerbaijan Airline plane crash near Kazakhstan’s Aktau in which 38 of the 67 people on board were killed last week.
