By Anthony Marcus, correspondent. Eurasia Business News, December 29, 2024. Article no.1352.

At least 177 people have been confirmed dead following a tragic plane crash involving a Jeju Air flight at Muan International Airport in South Korea. The Boeing 737-800 was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members when it crashed while attempting to land shortly after 9:00 AM local time on December 29, 2024. The flight had departed from Bangkok, Thailand, and was reportedly returning to South Korea for year-end holidays.

Details of the Incident

Crash Circumstances: The aircraft veered off the runway and collided with a concrete wall, subsequently erupting into flames. Eyewitness accounts and video footage indicate that the plane skidded across the runway with its landing gear retracted before the impact.

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Survivors: So far, only two individuals have been rescued from the wreckage, both of whom are crew members with moderate injuries. Rescue efforts are ongoing, but authorities fear that the death toll may rise as recovery operations continue.

Casualty Breakdown: Among the deceased, initial reports indicate that there were 37 women and 25 men identified. The total number of casualties is expected to increase as more bodies are recovered from the wreckage, which has been described as “utterly destroyed” by fire officials.

Possible Causes

Preliminary investigations suggest that a malfunction in the landing gear, possibly due to a bird strike, may have contributed to the crash. The pilot had issued a mayday call shortly before the accident occurred. Jeju Air’s president has expressed deep condolences and pledged full cooperation with ongoing investigations into the incident.

Response

Emergency services deployed over 1,560 personnel, including firefighters and police, to manage the situation and conduct rescue operations. The fire was reported to be under control within approximately 43 minutes after the crash. This incident marks one of South Korea’s deadliest aviation disasters in recent history, surpassing previous incidents in terms of fatalities.

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© Copyright 2024 – Eurasia Business News. Article no. 1352.