A major tragedy struck Korea as a Jeju Air passenger plane crashed while landing at Muan International Airport. The plane was flying from Bangkok, Thailand, to the southwestern region of South Korea.
There were 181 people on board. Most of them were South Korean, returning from Christmas holidays. Two passengers were from Thailand. The aircraft was a Boeing 737-800, operated by Jeju Air.
The accident happened on December 29. The plane tried to land around 9:30 a.m. local time. As it approached, the control tower warned the pilot about possible bird activity. A few minutes later, the pilot sent a “mayday” alert. The landing gear failed to deploy correctly.
On its second landing attempt, the aeroplane skidded down the runway on its belly. It hit a wall at the end and burst into flames. Black smoke rose from the wreckage, and explosions were heard. Rescuers rushed to the scene within minutes.
Officials say 179 people lost their lives. Only two survived. The victims included all 175 passengers and four of the six crew members. The survivors were crew members seated in the tail section, which detached during the crash. Both were injured but rescued alive.
Firefighters found bodies scattered up to 200 meters from the crash site. They worked around the clock to identify remains. Families of the victims provided DNA samples to help in the process. Authorities completed the identification of all 179 victims within days.
Initial investigations point to multiple causes. A bird strike is believed to have triggered the disaster. Birds hit both engines, which likely caused a landing gear malfunction. Adverse weather played a role, too. The plane overran the runway and collided with airport structures.
Both black boxes, the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, were recovered. However, they stopped recording seconds before the final “mayday” call. The government ordered a thorough safety review of all airline services in the country.
More than 1,500 emergency workers joined the rescue and recovery operations. The government, led by acting president Choi Sang-mok, called for the full mobilisation of resources. He insisted that the investigation must be transparent and that affected families should be informed promptly.
Jeju Air’s CEO issued an official apology. He expressed profound regret and condolences to families who lost loved ones. Boeing, the aircraft maker, also released a message of sympathy, promising to cooperate with the probe.
Anger and frustration grew among the victims’ families. They called for a deeper investigation and demanded accountability from goverment official and airline executives. Criminal complaints have since been filed, targeting those responsible for airline management and airport safety.
The Jeju Air crash is South Korea’s deadliest plane disaster and one of the worst in aviation history. The tragedy has raised urgent questions about safety standards and airport procedures in the country.
