In South Korea’s deadliest air disaster on record, Jeju Air flight 7C2216 crashed at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province on Sunday morning, claiming 120 lives. The Boeing 737-800, arriving from Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew members, attempted to land shortly after 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) when the tragedy occurred.
Footage broadcast on local media shows the plane skidding down the runway without visible landing gear before colliding with a wall, resulting in a massive explosion of flames and debris. Smoke and fire engulfed much of the wreckage, as emergency responders struggled to contain the blaze.
Thai authorities confirmed that among the passengers were 173 South Koreans and two Thai nationals.
Kim E-bae, CEO of Jeju Air, expressed profound sorrow and issued a public apology during a press conference. “Regardless of the cause of the accident, as the CEO, I fully acknowledge my responsibility,” he stated, adding heartfelt condolences to the victims’ families. Kim also pledged full cooperation with the government investigation and promised to support the affected families.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but preliminary reports suggest a malfunction in the aircraft’s landing gear, potentially caused by a bird strike.
This is the worst air disaster involving a South Korean airline in nearly three decades and the deadliest ever recorded on South Korean soil, according to the Ministry of Transport.
