In the morning December 29, a deadly plane crash took place while landing at Muan International Airport, South Korea, where 179 people feared dead. 120 dead bodies recovered from the accident site.
On December 29, a Jeju Air fight 7C2216 arriving from Thai capital Bangkok to Maun with 181 people on board, among them 175 passenger and 6 crew members, experienced a fire while landing at Muan International Airport at approximately 9:03 AM.
120 dead bodies had recovered from the accident sites and two people both crew members, a man and woman recovered alive from the tail section of burning plane.
The dead bodies include 54 males, 57 females and 11 people whose gender could not be determined, according reports to the South Jeolla Fire Service.
South Korean Land Ministry said, only two was Thai nationals and remained all are South Korean on board.
Jeju Air CEO Apologies on South Korea Plane Crash
In a statement CEO stated, “First, I bow my head and offer my sincere apologies to everyone who has supported Jeju Air. On December 29th, at approximately 9:03 AM, flight 7C2216 from Bangkok to Muan experienced a fire while landing at Muan International Airport.
Above all, I express my deepest condolences and apologies to the passengers who lost their lives in the accident and to their bereaved families. At this point, it is difficult to determine the cause of the accident, and we must wait for an official investigation report from the relevant government agencies. Regardless of the cause of the accident, I take full responsibility as the CEO.
Jeju Air will do everything in our power to quickly manage the aftermath of the accident and support the families of the passengers. Additionally, we will work closely with the government to identify the cause of the accident. Once again, I pray for the souls of those who lost their lives in the accident and offer my deepest apologies to their families.”
Fire Department stated Crash Plane destroyed completely
Fire Department of South Korea Stated that the crash landed plane has completely destroyed. “The plane is almost completely destroyed, and identifying the deceased is proving difficult. The process is taking time as we locate and recover the remains,” the fire department in Muan said in a statement.
Muan fire chief Lee Jung-hyun said that the fire was extinguished as of 1 pm.
“Only the tail part retains a little bit of shape, and the rest of (the plane) looks almost impossible to recognise,” he said.
He also stated that the authorities have shifted from rescue efforts to recovery operations. Due to the impact of the crash, they are searching nearby areas for bodies that might have been thrown from the plane, Lee said. The two crew members are treating at hospitals for moderate to severe injuries, according to the head of the local public health center.
Transport ministry officials have detailed a crucial six-minute timeline leading up to the crash, according to Yonhap News. At 8:57 a.m., air traffic controllers warned the approaching plane about the risk of bird strikes. A minute later, at 8:58 a.m., the pilot issued a “mayday” call. The plane attempted to land at 9:00 a.m. but crashed at 9:03 a.m.
One of the two surviving crew members reportedly confirmed early theories about the cause. After being rescued from the wreckage, the crew member told firefighters that the plane had suffered a bird strike.
Eyewitness statement
An eyewitness Yoo Jae-yong, 41, who was staying at a rental house near the airport, said to Yonhap News he saw a spark on the plane’s right wing before the crash.
He said, “”I was telling my family there was a problem with the plane when I heard a loud explosion.”
Another witness, last name Cho, said he was taking a stroll 4.5 kilometers from the airport when the accident took place.
“I saw the plane descending and thought it was about to land when I noticed a flash of light,” Cho said. “Then there was a loud bang followed by smoke in the air, and then I heard a series of explosions.”
