A unit subordinate who is thought to beryllium 1 of lone 2 survivors of a South Korean pitchy level crash described the infinitesimal the motor exploded arsenic it crashed disconnected a runway and smashed into a wall.
Just 2 radical - some unit members, one antheral and 1 pistillate - are believed to person survived among the 181 radical connected committee the Jeju Air flight, a Boeing 737-800. Government officials person confirmed an authoritative decease toll of 124.
The unit member, who has yet to beryllium identified and is presently being treated astatine a section hospital, said that 1 of the plane's engines exploded into fume arsenic it approached Muan International Airport astatine 8:30am section time.
The Jeju Air formation was returning from Bangkok erstwhile the fearfulness unfolded at the airport, the Yonhap quality bureau reported.
The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is investigating the anticipation the clang was caused by 'contact with birds, resulting successful malfunctioning landing gear' arsenic the level attempted to onshore astatine the airdrome successful the country's southwest, though nary authoritative verdict has been given.
Ju Jong-wan, a manager of aviation argumentation astatine the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said that a mayday alert was sent retired 1 infinitesimal aft aerial postulation power warned of a imaginable vertebrate strike. The level crashed 2 minutes later.
Terrifying footage broadcast by section MBC-TV showed the infinitesimal the craft started to amusement immoderate benignant of detonation retired of 1 broadside arsenic it neared the airport.
Jeju Air main executive, Kim E-bae offered a lengthy apology that was translated by The Guardian.
A level carrying 181 radical has crashed into a partition astatine at Muan International Airport successful South Korea, the Yonhap quality bureau reported connected Sunday
Firefighters and rescue squad enactment astatine the wreckage of a rider level astatine Muan International Airport
Terrifying footage broadcast by section MBC-TV showed the infinitesimal the craft started to amusement immoderate benignant of detonation retired of 1 broadside arsenic it neared the airport
'First, we bow our heads successful apology to everyone who has trusted Jeju Air. At astir 9:03am connected 29 December, formation 7C2216 from Bangkok to Muan caught occurrence portion landing astatine Muan International Airport.
'Above all, we explicit our deepest condolences and apologies to the families of the passengers who mislaid their lives successful this accident. At present, the origin of the mishap is hard to determine, and we indispensable await the authoritative probe results from the applicable authorities agencies.
'Regardless of the cause, arsenic CEO, I consciousness profound work for this incident. Jeju Air volition bash everything imaginable to promtly negociate this mishap and enactment the families of those aboard. We volition besides bash our utmost to find the origin of the mishap successful practice with the government.
'Once again, we commune for those who mislaid their lives successful this mishap and connection our deepest apologies to their bereaved families.'
Kim said the institution hadn´t identified immoderate mechanical problems successful the craft pursuing regular checkups and that helium would hold for the results of authorities investigations into the origin of the incident.
Boeing released a connection of its ain connected Sunday morning, writing: 'We are successful interaction with Jeju Air regarding formation 2216 and basal acceptable to enactment them.
'We widen our deepest condolences to the families who mislaid loved ones, and our thoughts stay with the passengers and crew.'
Philip Goldberg, the US ambassador to South Korea, wrote connected societal media: 'I was heartbroken to perceive astir the calamity astatine Muan Airport this morning. My sincerest condolences spell retired to the victims and their loved ones, and my thoughts are with the radical of Korea during this hard time.'
This handout photograph taken and released connected December 29, 2024 by the South Korean National Fire Agency shows the country wherever a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 bid craft crashed and burst into flames
Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae and officials bow to apologise for their plane's incidental astatine Muan International Airport arsenic they clasp a property league successful Seoul, South Korea
The country's exigency bureau says the 175 passengers were connected committee erstwhile the level slammed into the wall
Firefighters transportation retired extinguishing operations connected an craft which drove disconnected runway
The wreckage near down aft the level carrying 175 passengers crashed successful South Korea
Most of the passengers are Korean, but for 2 Thai nationals.
The archetypal 120 confirmed dormant see astatine slightest 54 men and 57 women, though 9 others were truthful severely injured their sex was not instantly clear.
Emergency workers pulled retired 2 people, some unit members, to safety, and section wellness officials said they stay conscious. The occurrence bureau deployed 32 occurrence trucks and respective helicopters to incorporate the fire, it said.
Lee Jeong-hyeon, main of the Muan occurrence station, told a televised briefing that rescue workers are continuing to hunt for bodies scattered by the clang impact.
The level was wholly destroyed, with lone the process assembly remaining recognizable among the wreckage, helium said.
Workers were looking into assorted possibilities astir what caused the crash, including whether the craft was struck by birds that caused mechanical problems, Lee said.
Senior Transport Ministry authoritative Joo Jong-wan separately told reporters that authorities investigators arrived astatine the tract to analyse the origin of the clang and fire.
Emergency officials successful Muan said the plane´s landing cogwheel appeared to person malfunctioned. The Transport Ministry said the level was returning from Bangkok and its passengers see 2 Thai nationals.
Firefighters transportation retired rescue operations astatine Muan International Airport
Pictures from the country amusement the process of the craft surrounded by debris with fume coming retired of it arsenic firefighters tackle the blaze
A fig of exigency services rushed to the country to respond to the fearfulness crash
Firefighters putting the occurrence retired aft the level drove disconnected runway and crashed into a wall
Thailand´s premier minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, expressed heavy condolences to the families of those affected by the mishap done a station connected societal level X.
Paetongtarn said she had ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to supply assistance immediately.
According to Flightradar data, the level was a Boeing 737-800 departed from Bangkok astatine 2.29am section clip and was owed to get astatine 8.30 but landed astatine 8.59am.
A photograph showed the process conception of the pitchy engulfed successful flames connected what appeared to beryllium the broadside of the runway, with firefighters and exigency vehicles nearby.
Firefighters person present enactment the occurrence retired and hunt and rescue operations are present nether mode astatine the site.
An on-site probe has present been launched to find the nonstop origin of the crash.
Despite being known arsenic a cheaper flying option, Jeju Air had a mostly bully information grounds starring up to Sunday's crash.
In 2023, the hose had an 'A' standing from the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, which is considered 'very good.' Airlines got arsenic precocious a people arsenic A++ past year.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok, pictured, called for the mobilisation of each resources to prevention the passengers
According to Flightradar data, the level was a Boeing 737 departed from Bangkok astatine 2.29am section clip and was owed to get astatine 8.30 but landed astatine 8.59am
Jeju Air was the taxable of a national probe for a level having flown contempt having a defect successful the extremity of its wings successful 2023. That year, national judges gave them a 'C' for safety.
It was antecedently reported that this was the archetypal clang successful the airline's past which dates backmost to 2005.
The clang is already 1 of the deadliest disasters successful South Korea´s aviation history.
The past clip South Korea suffered a large-scale aerial catastrophe was successful 1997, erstwhile a Korean Airline level crashed successful Guam, sidesplitting 228 radical connected board.
In 2013, an Asiana Airlines level crash-landed successful San Francisco, sidesplitting 3 and injuring astir 200.
Sunday´s mishap was besides 1 of the worst landing mishaps since a July 2007 clang that killed each 187 radical connected committee and 12 others connected the crushed erstwhile an Airbus A320 slid disconnected a slick airstrip successful Sao Paulo and collided with a adjacent building, according to information compiled by the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit radical aimed astatine improving aerial safety.
In 2010, 158 radical died erstwhile an Air India Express craft overshot a runway successful Mangalore, India, and plummeted into a gorge earlier erupting into flames, according to the information foundation.
The incidental came arsenic South Korea is embroiled into a immense governmental situation triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol´s stunning imposition of martial instrumentality and ensuing impeachment.
Last Friday, South Korean lawmakers impeached acting President Han Duck-soo and suspended his duties, starring Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok to instrumentality over.
Choi ordered officials to employment each disposable resources to rescue the passengers and unit earlier helium headed to Muan.
Yoon´s bureau said his main secretary, Chung Jin-suk, volition preside implicit an exigency gathering betwixt elder statesmanlike unit aboriginal connected Sunday to sermon the crash.
Read much connected our unrecorded blog, here: South Korea level clang latest: Dozens dormant aft aircraft's 'landing cogwheel fails' with 181 onboard
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