3 days ago
Last Updated:December 29, 2024, 10:38 IST
South Korea Plane Crash: The accident occurred when the plane, carrying 181 people, attempted a runway touchdown without apparent landing gear
A Jeju Air flight from Bangkok veered off the runway and crashed at South Korean airport | Image/X
South Korea Plane Crash: A passenger plane carrying 181 people burst into flames after crashing at South Korea’s Muan Airport on Sunday, likely killing all but two people, according to reports.
The accident occurred when the Jeju Air flight from Bangkok, carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew members, attempted runway touchdown with no apparent landing gear and crashed into a wall in an explosion.
The visuals of the incident showed black smoke billowing into the air from the airport in Muan, with firefighters carrying out extinguishing operations. According to Yonhap, two people were pulled out of the wreckage as the rescue mission continued.
Bird Strike Behind Crash: Report
Authorities suspected that the fatal twin-engine aircraft crash in Muan could have been caused by a collision with a flock of birds, leading to a malfunction of the landing gear, reported The Korea Herald.
The incident happened at 9:07 am local time at the southwestern coastal airport, a key regional hub in South Korea’s South Jeolla Province. It marks the first such major incident at Muan Airport.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok, named interim leader of the country on Friday after the previous acting president was impeached amid an ongoing political crisis, ordered all-out rescue efforts, his office said.
The fatal plane crash in South Korea follows the December 25 crash-landing of an Azerbaijan Airlines flight near Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 on board.
Several reports claimed that the plane came under fire from Russian air defence en route to the Chechen capital of Grozny – forcing it to divert. Russian President Vladimir Putin later apologised to his Azerbaijani counterpart over the downing of the commercial airliner in Russian airspace.
South Korea
First Published:December 29, 2024, 07:04 IST
News world 179 Presumed Dead, Only 2 Survivors In South Korea Plane Crash: Report
