Home US What caused the plane crash in South Korea? Survivor recalls chilling moment jet engine exploded on approach to airport

What caused the plane crash in South Korea? Survivor recalls chilling moment jet engine exploded on approach to airport

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A plane with 181 people on board crashed into a wall at Muan International Airport in South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday.

A crew member, believed to be one of only two survivors of a plane crash in South Korea, has described the horrific moment they knew a jet engine had exploded.

Only two people – both crew members, a man and a woman – are believed to have survived among the 181 people on board the Jeju Air flight, a Boeing 737-800. Government officials have confirmed an official death toll of 124.

The crew member, who has yet to be identified and is currently being treated at a local hospital, said one of the plane’s engines exploded in smoke as it approached Muan International Airport at 8:30 a.m. local time.

The Jeju Air plane was returning from Bangkok when the horrors unfolded at the airport, Yonhap news agency reported.

The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is investigating the possible cause of the crash ‘contact with birds, resulting in landing gear failure’ as the plane attempted to land at the airport in the south-west of the country, although no official ruling has yet been made.

Ju Jong-wan, director of aviation policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said an emergency alert was sent one minute after air traffic control warned of a possible bird strike. The plane crashed two minutes later.

Terrifying footage broadcast by local MBC TV showed the moment the plane began to exhibit some sort of explosion on one side as it approached the airport.

Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae issued a lengthy apology that was translated by The Guardian.

A plane with 181 people on board crashed into a wall at Muan International Airport in South Korea, Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday.

Firefighters and rescue teams work on the wreckage of a passenger plane at Muan International Airport

Firefighters and rescue teams work on the wreckage of a passenger plane at Muan International Airport

Terrifying footage broadcast by local MBC TV showed the moment the plane began to exhibit some sort of explosion on one side as it approached the airport

Terrifying footage broadcast by local MBC TV showed the moment the plane began to exhibit some sort of explosion on one side as it approached the airport

“First of all, we bow our heads in apology to everyone who trusted Jeju Air. At approximately 9:03 a.m. on December 29, Flight 7C2216 from Bangkok to Muan caught fire while landing at Muan International Airport.

“Above all, we extend our deepest condolences and apologies to the families of the passengers who lost their lives in this accident. At this time, the cause of the accident is difficult to determine and we must await the official investigation results from the relevant government authorities.

‘Regardless of the cause, as CEO I feel great responsibility for this incident. Jeju Air will do everything possible to quickly resolve this accident and support the families of those on board. We will also do our utmost to determine the cause of the accident in collaboration with the government.

“Once again, we pray for those who died in this accident and offer our deepest apologies to their families.”

Kim said the company had found no mechanical problems with the plane after regular checks and that he would await the results of a government investigation into the cause of the incident.

Boeing released its own statement on Sunday morning saying: ‘We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding Flight 2216 and stand ready to support them.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”

Philip Goldberg, the US ambassador to South Korea, wrote on social media: “I was heartbroken to hear about the tragedy at Muan Airport this morning. My sincere condolences go out to the victims and their loved ones, and my thoughts are with the people of Korea at this difficult time.”

This handout photo taken and released on December 29, 2024 by the South Korean National Fire Department shows the scene where a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 series plane crashed and caught fire

This handout photo taken and released on December 29, 2024 by the South Korean National Fire Department shows the scene where a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 series plane crashed and caught fire

Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae and officials bow to apologize for the incident involving their plane at Muan International Airport while holding a press conference in Seoul, South Korea

Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae and officials bow to apologize for the incident involving their plane at Muan International Airport while holding a press conference in Seoul, South Korea

The country's emergency services said the 175 passengers were on board when the plane hit the wall

The country’s emergency services said the 175 passengers were on board when the plane hit the wall

Firefighters carry out extinguishing work on an aircraft that has gone off the runway

Firefighters carry out extinguishing work on an aircraft that has gone off the runway

The wreckage left behind after the plane with 175 passengers on board crashed in South Korea

The wreckage left behind after the plane with 175 passengers on board crashed in South Korea

Most of the passengers are Korean, except for two Thai nationals.

The first 120 confirmed deaths include at least 54 men and 57 women, although nine others were so badly injured that their gender was not immediately clear.

Emergency workers pulled two people, both crew members, to safety and local health officials said they remain conscious. The fire brigade deployed 32 fire engines and several helicopters to bring the fire under control.

Lee Jeong-hyeon, head of Muan Fire Station, told a televised briefing that rescuers continue to search for bodies scattered by the crash.

The plane was completely destroyed, with only the tail remaining recognizable among the wreckage, he said.

Workers were investigating several possibilities about the cause of the crash, including whether the plane was struck by birds that caused mechanical problems, Lee said.

Senior Transport Ministry official Joo Jong-wan told reporters separately that government investigators had arrived at the scene to investigate the cause of the crash and fire.

Emergency officials in Muan said the plane’s landing gear appeared to have malfunctioned. The Transport Ministry said the plane was returning from Bangkok and two Thai nationals were among the passengers.

Firefighters carry out rescue operations at Muan International Airport

Firefighters carry out rescue operations at Muan International Airport

Photos from the scene show the tail of the plane surrounded by debris billowing smoke as firefighters battle the blaze

Photos from the scene show the tail of the plane surrounded by debris billowing smoke as firefighters battle the blaze

A number of emergency services rushed to the scene to respond to the horror accident

A number of emergency services rushed to the scene to respond to the horror accident

Firefighters extinguished the fire after the plane ran off the runway and crashed into a wall

Firefighters extinguished the fire after the plane ran off the runway and crashed into a wall

Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed his deep condolences to the families of those affected by the accident through a post on social platform

Paetongtarn said she had instructed the Foreign Ministry to provide immediate assistance.

According to Flightradar data, the plane was a Boeing 737-800 that departed Bangkok at 2:29 a.m. local time and was supposed to arrive at 8:30 a.m. but landed at 8:59 a.m.

A photo showed the tail section of the plane engulfed in flames on what appeared to be the side of the runway, with firefighters and emergency vehicles nearby.

The fire brigade has now extinguished the fire and search and rescue operations are underway at the location.

An on-site investigation has now been launched to determine the exact cause of the crash.

Despite being known as a cheaper flying option, Jeju Air had a largely good safety record leading up to Sunday’s crash.

In 2023, the airline had an ‘A’ rating from the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which is considered ‘very good’. Airlines received a grade of even A++ last year.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok, pictured, called for the mobilization of all resources to rescue the passengers

Acting President Choi Sang-mok, pictured, called for the mobilization of all resources to rescue the passengers

According to Flightradar data, the plane was a Boeing 737 that departed Bangkok at 2:29 a.m. local time and was supposed to arrive at 8:30 a.m. but landed at 8:59 a.m.

According to Flightradar data, the plane was a Boeing 737 that departed Bangkok at 2:29 a.m. local time and was supposed to arrive at 8:30 a.m. but landed at 8:59 a.m.

Jeju Air was the subject of a federal investigation into a plane that flew in 2023 despite a defect in the tip of its wings. That year, federal judges gave them a “C” for safety.

It was previously reported that this was the first crash in the airline’s history, dating back to 2005.

The crash is already one of the deadliest disasters in South Korea’s aviation history.

The last time South Korea suffered a major air disaster was in 1997, when a Korean Airline plane crashed in Guam, killing 228 people on board.

In 2013, an Asiana Airlines plane crashed in San Francisco, killing three people and injuring about 200.

Sunday’s accident was also one of the worst landing accidents since a July 2007 crash that killed all 187 people on board and 12 others on the ground when an Airbus A320 skidded off a slippery runway in Sao Paulo and collided with a nearby building. on data collected by the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on improving air safety.

According to the Safety Foundation, 158 people died in 2010 when an Air India Express plane overran a runway in Mangalore, India, and plunged into a canyon before bursting into flames.

The incident came as South Korea is embroiled in a massive political crisis caused by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning imposition of martial law and subsequent impeachment.

Last Friday, South Korean lawmakers ousted acting President Han Duck-soo and suspended his duties, leaving Vice Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok to take over.

Choi ordered officials to use all available resources to rescue the passengers and crew before leaving for Muan.

Yoon’s office said his chief secretary, Chung Jin-suk, will chair an emergency meeting among senior presidential staff later on Sunday to discuss the crash.

Read more in our live blog, here: Latest plane crash in South Korea: Dozens dead after plane ‘landing gear fails’ with 181 on board

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