Air disaster in South Korea: Over 170 feared dead in plane crash

A major air disaster occurred in South Korea on December 29, when a plane crashed at Muan International Airport, leaving more than 170 people feared dead.

The incident took place at 09:07 local time when a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, en route from Bangkok, Thailand, lost control during its landing approach, veered off the runway, struck a wall, and caught fire.

There were 181 people on board: 175 passengers and six crew members. According to South Korea’s Ministry of Transport, two of the passengers were Thai nationals, and the remaining passengers were South Korean citizens.

Reports from South Korean media indicate that 179 people are presumed dead, while South Korea’s fire department confirmed that two survivors were found – a passenger and a crew member, both of whom were taken to the hospital.

The identities of 124 victims have been confirmed, with others still missing. Rescue teams are continuing their search in the rear section of the aircraft.

A fire department spokesperson stated that after the crash, passengers were ejected from the plane upon impact with a fence. “The chances of survival are practically nonexistent. The fuselage is almost completely destroyed, and identifying the deceased is challenging. It will take time to recover the bodies,” the official said.

Initial assessments suggest that the crash could have been caused by a malfunction in the plane’s landing gear, possibly due to a collision with a large flock of birds. Other theories point to a potential engine failure or adverse weather conditions as possible causes of the disaster.