A Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people skidded off the runway and burst into flames at Muan International Airport in South Korea, resulting in 179 fatalities.
The accident occurred at 9:07 a.m. local time (7:07 a.m. Hanoi time) as the plane attempted to land at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, about 290 kilometers from Seoul. The aircraft, which departed from Bangkok, Thailand, carried 175 passengers—173 South Koreans and two Thai nationals—along with six crew members.
As of 9:10 p.m., South Korea’s National Fire Agency confirmed 179 fatalities and two survivors.
Details of the Crash
Footage released by MBC showed the aircraft landing on its belly, skidding along the runway before crashing into a fence and erupting in flames. Yonhap News Agency reported that the incident may have been caused by "a bird strike that damaged the landing gear."
"Many passengers were ejected from the aircraft upon impact with the fence, leaving them with almost no chance of survival. The plane's fuselage was completely destroyed, making it difficult to identify the victims. It will take time to recover and gather the bodies," said a fire official from South Jeolla Province during a meeting with passengers' families.
A message reportedly sent by a passenger to a family member moments before the crash read: "A bird got stuck in the wing, and we can’t land. Should I say my final goodbye?" The message, sent at 9 a.m., was followed by silence, and the family member has been unable to contact the passenger since.
Flight Details and Incident Report
The ill-fated flight 7C2216 departed from Bangkok at 1:30 a.m. and was scheduled to land at Muan at 8:30 a.m. A source at the scene stated that the plane initially attempted to land on Runway 01 but encountered difficulties, prompting the crew to circle back and try again.
"The landing gear failed to deploy, so the crew opted for a belly landing on the second attempt. However, the plane couldn’t slow down and veered off the runway," the source explained.
Many of the passengers were reportedly tourists returning from a five-day trip to Bangkok. The Muan-Bangkok route operates four flights per week as part of a seasonal schedule running until March 23, 2025.
Emergency Response and Investigations
Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok visited the crash site and urged all resources to be mobilized to assist the victims. Authorities have set up an emergency center at Muan Airport, while a team of seven investigators from the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Committee (ARIC) and a supervisor have arrived at the scene.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed condolences to the victims' families and instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to verify if any Thai nationals were on board.
A passenger who flew on the same plane from Bangkok to Muan on December 27 told Yonhap that the aircraft experienced engine issues before takeoff but was cleared by the crew. "The flight departed an hour late due to airport-related issues, but there were no incidents during the journey, and we landed safely at Muan," he said.
About Jeju Air
Jeju Air, a low-cost South Korean airline, operates numerous routes between South Korea and Southeast Asia. Its fleet primarily consists of Boeing 737-800 aircraft.
(Sources: Yonhap, MBC, Korea Herald)
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