South Korea Plane crash: South Korea's fire agency said that 85 people are dead after a Jeju Air plane caught fire during landing at Muan International Airport. The fire engulfed was carrying 181 people including crew members when it skidded off the runway just after landing and struck a barrier.
Jeju Air flight 7C2216 from Bangkok carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew members was landing shortly after 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) at the airport to Muan International Airport. Video shared by local media showed the twin-engine aircraft sliding down the runway without visible landing gear before crashing into a wall, causing a burst of flames and debris. Additional photos captured smoke and fire spreading across parts of the plane.
Airline issues statement
After the crash, Jeju Air apologised and vowed to do all it could to help after its plane carrying 181 people from Bangkok to South Korea crashed on arrival, killing scores.
"We at Jeju Air will do everything in our power in response to this accident. We sincerely apologise for causing concern," the airline said in a statement posted on its social media channels.
What caused the crash?
The local fire authorities said bird strike and weather conditions as possible cause of the plane crash, as reported by Reuters.
Thailand's prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, expressed deep condolences to the families of those affected by the accident through a post on social platform X. She wrote, “I would like to express my condolences to the families of the deceased and injured. I have ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urgently investigate whether there are any Thai passengers on this plane and what the current situation is. I have ordered immediate assistance. If there are Thai passengers, please contact their families to inform them of the progress and have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs report the situation at all times.”
It's one of the deadliest disasters in South Korea's aviation history. The last time South Korea suffered a large-scale air disaster was in 1997, when an Korean Airline plane crashed in Guam, killing 228 people on board.
(With inputs from agencies)
