179 folks killed in Jeju Air aircraft crash in South Korea

All passengers on board a Jeju Air flight died after the aircraft crashed at a South Korean airport on Sunday, in what was the nation’s worst-ever aviation catastrophe.

In whole, 179 of the 181 folks on board the Boeing 737-800 have been killed, and solely two survivors, each cabin crew, have been pulled from the burning wreckage by rescuers.

The aircraft landed at Muan Worldwide Airport within the south of the nation, skidded off the runway and crashed right into a wall in a violent explosion.

Flight 2216 was getting back from Bangkok to Thailand with six crew members and 175 passengers, lots of whom have been on trip.

Distraught family members gathered within the arrivals corridor, many in tears, as they waited for the our bodies to be recognized.

Some victims have up to now solely been capable of be recognized by their fingerprints.

Maeng Gi-su, 78, informed the BBC that her nephew and her nephew’s two sons have been on the aircraft.

It was the household’s first journey overseas, to mark the top of the youngest son’s faculty entrance exams.

“I can not consider the entire household is gone. My coronary heart hurts a lot,” he stated.

The passengers included 173 South Koreans and two Thai nationals. They ranged in age from 3 to 78, though most have been between 40, 50 and 60, South Korea’s Yonhap information company reported.

Shared footage of the accident – ​​which occurred shortly after 09:00 native time (00:00 GMT) – confirmed the aircraft touchdown with out wheels, going off the runway and crashing right into a wall, earlier than a part of it doesn’t catch fireplace.

An investigation into the trigger is underway. No plane or upkeep issues on takeoff have been initially reported.

South Korean transport officers report that the aircraft encountered difficulties because it approached touchdown – the pilot, who had greater than 9,800 hours of flight expertise – pulled out on the primary try and land. touchdown as a result of chook interference.

Shortly thereafter, the pilot made an emergency name and made an ill-fated emergency touchdown try.

A touchdown gear malfunction could have been brought on by birds getting caught within the aircraft’s programs, native media reported.

A passenger despatched a message to a relative saying a chook was caught within the wing, South Korea’s News1 reported.

This catastrophe is a nationwide tragedy for South Korea, plunged right into a political disaster after the impeachment of President Yoon and his momentary successor by Parliament.

Performing President Choi Sang-mok, who was solely appointed on Friday, visited the accident web site on Sunday.

“I specific my deepest condolences to the numerous victims of this incident. I’ll do every little thing I can to make sure that these injured recuperate rapidly,” Choi stated.

South Korean airways are typically thought of “trade finest practices” with good security information, analysts say.

The Jeju Air crash is the worst for a South Korean airline for the reason that Korean Air crash in Guam in 1997, which killed greater than 200 folks. Earlier than Sunday, the deadliest crash of an Air China flight on South Korean soil left 129 useless.

The Muan airport accident additionally marks the primary deadly accident for Jeju Air, one in every of South Korea’s largest low-cost airways, established in 2005.

Jeju Air bosses made a deep bow as they publicly apologized at a press convention on Sunday.

“We deeply apologize to everybody affected by the incident. We are going to do every little thing attainable to resolve the scenario,” the corporate stated in an announcement.

Boeing Airways, which manufactured the 737-800 jet, stated it was in touch with the airline.