A Jeju Air flight from Bangkok carrying 181 passengers and crew has crashed while attempting a landing at Muan international airport in south-western South Korea on Sunday morning.
All but two of the people onboard Flight 7C2216 are presumed dead, according to local fire authorities. Two people were pulled from the tail section and are receiving treatment at a nearby hospital. Among the 175 passengers aboard the flight, 173 were Korean nationals and two were Thai nationals, officials have said.
The Boeing 737-800 attempted a belly landing at about 9.03am local time after its landing gear reportedly failed to deploy. The aircraft was seen skidding along the runway before hitting the airport’s perimeter wall, breaking into two pieces at the front and tail sections and bursting into flames.
Witnesses reported hearing loud “bang” noises before the aircraft struck the wall. Local broadcaster MBC aired footage that appears to show a bird strike incident as the plane was descending. Officials have also said weather conditions may have played a role.
If the death toll is confirmed, it would be South Korea’s worst domestic civil aviation disaster and marks the first major casualty incident involving a low-cost carrier in the country’s history.
South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, has arrived at the scene approximately 300km south-west of Seoul and has ordered “all available equipment and personnel to be mobilised” for the rescue operations at the airport. ‘“No words of consolation will be enough for the families who have suffered such a tragedy,” he said at the scene.
Jeju Air chief executive, Kim E-bae, has issued official apology saying: “Above all, we express our deepest condolences and apologies to the families of the passengers who lost their lives in this accident. At present, the cause of the accident is difficult to determine, and we must await the official investigation results from the relevant government agencies. Regardless of the cause, as CEO, I feel profound responsibility for this incident.”
A spokesperson for Boeing told the Guardian: “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 lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”
South Korea’s national rail operator has announced a special train service to help victims’ families reach the disaster site. A bullet train will depart Seoul at 3pm local time and arrive at Mokpo. The railway company says bereaved families can use these services free of charge and additional trains will be arranged if needed. Mokpo station is the closest rail terminal to Muan international airport.
The Muan-Bangkok route was part of the airport’s first international services in 17 years, launched just three weeks ago, on 8 December.
Experts said South Korea’s aviation industry has a solid track record for safety, and this was the first fatal accident Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, had experienced since it was launched in 2005.
