South Korea Plane Crash: 179 Dead as Plane Crashes at Muan Airport

south korea - A tragic plane crash at Muan International Airport in South Korea has resulted in 179 fatalities, with only 2 survivors. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

A passenger plane attempting to land at Muan International Airport in South Korea crashed after veering off the runway and hitting walls. The aircraft, operated by Jeju Air, was carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew members, resulting in at least 179 fatalities and only 2 survivors.

Firefighters mentioned that the plane lost control during landing and hit the fence surrounding the airport. They managed to extinguish the fire on the severely damaged plane and rescue 2 flight attendants.

Authorities reported that 176 passengers and 4 crew members lost their lives in the accident. It is estimated that out of the 181 individuals on board, 179 perished. Passengers, except for 2 Thai nationals, were South Korean citizens.

The crash was attributed to a malfunction in the landing gear of the aircraft. It was revealed that the plane failed to deploy its landing gear on the first attempt and crashed during the mandatory second attempt.

A senior official from South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport speculated that one of the unconfirmed possibilities for the crash was a bird strike. Prior to the accident at Muan International Airport, a warning about bird strikes was reportedly issued to the aircraft from the control tower.

Investigations are ongoing regarding possible causes of the crash, including bird strikes and adverse weather conditions. The flight data recorder of the plane has been retrieved, but the exact cause of the crash is still being investigated.

CEO of Jeju Air, Kim E-bae, extended apologies to the victims of the crash. He mentioned that the exact cause of the incident remains unclear but assured cooperation with the government in the investigation.

Jeju Air emphasized that their current top priority is to support the victims of the tragedy.