South Korea’s Jeju Air Plane Crash Claims 179 Lives
A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 flight crashed while landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea, killing 179 people and leaving only two survivors. The flight, returning from Bangkok, Thailand, experienced a catastrophic sequence of events on Sunday morning, including a reported bird strike and bad weather. The crash, now the deadliest in South Korea’s aviation history, has plunged the nation into mourning and sparked intense scrutiny of airline safety measures.
What happened?
Authorities are working to determine the cause of the disaster. According to aviation officials, the pilots declared an emergency after reporting a bird strike and attempted to abort the landing. Moments later, the plane belly-landed, skidded off the runway, and collided with a wall, erupting into flames. Investigators are examining factors such as the bird strike, weather conditions, and possible mechanical failures, including issues with the landing gear.
Video footage shows the plane skidding without its landing gear before bursting into flames. Rescuers pulled two crew members from the wreckage, one of whom is now awake and communicating.
The victims, mostly South Korean nationals returning from holiday, included children as young as three and a 78-year-old passenger. Grieving families have gathered at Muan Airport, providing DNA samples to help identify remains. A memorial has been set up nearby, where locals, officials, and acting President Choi have paid their respects.
Efforts to recover evidence and remains have involved over 1,500 emergency personnel. The plane’s flight data recorder, though damaged, is being analyzed with help from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing officials. It may take weeks before conclusive results are available.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok has ordered an immediate safety inspection of South Korea’s airline operation systems and declared a seven-day mourning period. “We ask that officials transparently disclose the accident investigation process and promptly inform the bereaved families,” he stated. A special inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by South Korean airlines began on Monday.
Muan has been declared a disaster zone, with flights canceled and recovery efforts underway. As the country mourns, questions about safety standards and emergency preparedness loom large. For Jeju Air, which has maintained a strong safety record since its founding in 2005, this incident marks a devastating first fatal accident.
