3 days ago
Last Updated:December 29, 2024, 10:19 IST
A bird strike is suspected to have caused the malfunction in the landing gear of the Boeing 737-800 jet, leading to its fatal crash at South Korea's Muan Airport.
Jeju Air flight crashes in South Korea | Image/AP
A Jeju Air passenger plane carrying 181 people crash-landed at South Korea’s Muan Airport on Sunday, leaving at least 62 dead and two others severely injured, according to reports.
The flight was attempting a crash landing after it suffered a malfunction in its landing gear, reported South Korean news agency Yonhap. It added that the flight’s first landing attempt failed, with the second turning into a mishap.
A bird collision is suspected behind the malfunction in the landing gear of the Boeing 737-800 jet, carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew members, from Bangkok in Thailand.
The accident visuals showed the twin-engine aircraft landing in Muan with no apparent landing gear and crashing into the wall at the outer edge of the airport, erupting into a fireball.
A black smoke was seen billowing into the air from the airport, with firefighters carrying out extinguishing operations. According to Yonhap, rescue teams have saved three victims– two passengers and a crew member.
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.
Month Of Turbulence For Global Aviation
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.
Location :South Korea
First Published:December 29, 2024, 10:19 IST
News world Bird Strike Behind South Korea Plane Crash? Here's All We Know About Muan Airport Mishap
