Households mourn aircraft crash in South Korea

A festive journey to Thailand was imagined to be a celebration for Maeng Gi-Su’s nephew and his nephew’s two sons, who have been marking the tip of their college entrance exams.

As a substitute, it led to tragedy when all three died on the Jeju Air aircraft that crashed Sunday morning in South Korea, killing 179 of the 181 individuals on board.

“I am unable to consider the entire household is gone,” Maeng, 78, informed the BBC.

“My coronary heart hurts a lot.”

The household have been amongst these touring on flight 7C2216 from Bangkok to Muan Worldwide Airport, which skidded off the runway after touchdown and crashed into a wall shortly after 09:00 native time (00:00 GMT) on Sunday.

All passengers on the Boeing 737-800 died, making it the deadliest aircraft crash on South Korean soil.

4 crew members died, whereas two have been rescued alive from the wreckage.

The 179 passengers ranged in age from three to 78, though most have been between 40, 50 and 60, South Korea’s Yonhap information company reported. Two Thai nationals have been among the many useless and the others have been believed to be South Koreans, authorities mentioned.

5 of the deceased have been youngsters below the age of 10, whereas the youngest passenger, just a little boy, was simply three years outdated.

A person in his 60s mentioned 5 members of his household, spanning three generations, have been on the aircraft, together with his sister-in-law, her daughter, her husband and their younger youngsters, in line with the Yonhap information company.

Many passengers have been celebrating the Christmas holidays in Thailand and returning house.

The cousin of one of many victims, Jongluk Doungmanee, informed BBC Thai she was “shocked” when she heard the information.

“I had goosebumps. I could not consider it,” Pornphichaya Chalermsin mentioned.

Jongluk had spent greater than two weeks in Thailand visiting household and touring to the northern metropolis of Chiang Mai along with her husband.

A 71-year-old father, Jeon Je-young, informed Reuters information company that his daughter Mi-Sook, recognized by fingerprints, was returning house after touring with pals to Bangkok for the festivities.

“My daughter, who is barely in her 40s, ended up like this,” he mentioned, including that he final noticed her on December 21, when she introduced meals and subsequent yr’s calendar at his home – which might change into their final second collectively.

Mi-Sook leaves behind a husband and a teenage daughter.

“It’s superb,” Jeon mentioned.

One lady mentioned her sister, who was going by a troublesome time, moved to Thailand as her life started to enhance.

“She had a lot issue and she or he went on the journey as a result of her scenario was simply beginning to enhance,” she informed Yonhap Information Company.

The 2 flight attendants who survived the crash have been discovered within the tail of the aircraft, essentially the most intact a part of the wreckage.

Certainly one of them was a 33-year-old man, surnamed Lee, who was rushed to a hospital in Mokpo, about 25 km (15.5 mi) south of the airport, however was then transferred to Seoul’s Ewha Womans College Hospital within the capital, Yonhap. the information company reported.

“After I awoke, I had already been rescued,” he informed medical doctors on the hospital, in line with its director Ju Woong, who spoke at a press briefing.

The survivor, who suffered a number of fractures, is receiving particular care because of the threat of after-effects, together with complete paralysis, Ju mentioned.

The opposite survivor, a 25-year-old flight attendant surnamed Koo, is being handled at Asan Medical Heart in japanese Seoul, Yonhap added.

She was injured within the head and ankle, however is claimed to be in steady situation.

It isn’t but clear what triggered the catastrophe, however various eyewitnesses declare to have seen that the aircraft was in issue earlier than the accident.

Restaurant proprietor Im Younger-Hak mentioned he initially thought it was an oil tanker accident.

“I went out and noticed thick, darkish smoke. After that, I heard a loud explosion, which didn’t come from the accident itself. Then there have been extra explosions – at minus seven,” he informed Reuters.

“We really feel unhealthy when accidents occur midway all over the world, however this occurred proper right here. It is traumatic.”

Yoo Jae-yong, 41, who was staying close to the airport, informed native media he noticed a spark on the correct wing shortly earlier than the crash.

Kim Yong-cheol, 70, mentioned the aircraft initially did not land and circled to attempt once more.

He added that he noticed “black smoke rising into the sky” after listening to a “loud explosion”, Yonhap information company reported.

A firefighter dispatched to the scene informed Reuters he had by no means seen something “of this magnitude”.

BBC journalists on the bottom mentioned the cries of relations echoed by the terminal on Sunday night, whereas others have been offended on the time it was taking to determine the our bodies.

Tons of of individuals stay at Muan Worldwide Airport ready for his or her family members to be recognized.

Some gave saliva DNA samples to authorities to assist them determine victims’ our bodies, and the federal government supplied funeral companies and non permanent lodging to bereaved households.

A interval of nationwide mourning has additionally been declared for the subsequent seven days.

However for all of the family members of those that died, many questions stay, together with what triggered the accident and whether or not it might have been averted.

“The water close to the airport is just not deep,” Jeon informed Reuters.

“(There) are softer fields than this cement runway. Why could not the pilot have landed there as a substitute?”

His daughter Mi-Sook was nearly house so noticed no motive to name and go away a final message, he mentioned.

“She was nearly house – she thought she was going house.”

Extra reporting by BBC Thai’s Thanyaporn Buathong