A devastating crash at Muan International Airport in southwestern South Korea has left 179 people dead after a Jeju Air passenger jet crash-landed and burst into flames on Sunday morning. Only two crew members survived the disaster, making it South Korea’s worst aviation accident in over two decades.
The Boeing 737-800 aircraft, carrying 181 passengers and crew ranging in age from 3 to 78, skidded down the runway on its belly before erupting into flames. The two survivors, a male and female crew member, were rescued from the plane’s tail section, which emergency services reported was the only part of the aircraft that maintained its structural integrity.
Video footage captured the horrifying moment as the aircraft slid at high speed, struck an earthen embankment, and exploded into a fireball. Witnesses noted that neither the front nor back landing gear was visible during the crash, with smoke trailing from the aircraft’s rear.
While Muan Fire Department chief Lee Jeong-hyun suggested a possible bird strike or adverse weather conditions as potential causes, aviation experts have cautioned against premature speculation. The National Transportation Safety Board has announced that U.S. investigators will join the probe. Both black boxes have been recovered, which will provide crucial data for understanding the crash’s cause.
The incident involves a Boeing 737-800, a model with a strong safety record distinct from the troubled 737 Max series.
Jeju Air, South Korea’s largest budget carrier, has maintained a solid safety reputation until this incident.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who assumed office just days ago amid a political crisis, visited the crash site on Sunday. This disaster marks South Korea’s deadliest aviation incident since the 1997 Korean Airlines crash in Guam that claimed 228 lives.
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