In a tragic incident on Sunday, 179 people lost their lives when a Jeju Air flight belly-landed and skidded off the runway at Muan International Airport in South Korea. The airliner, flight 7C2216, was arriving from Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew members on board when the accident occurred shortly after 9 a.m. local time.
The twin-engine Boeing 737-800, unable to deploy its landing gear, slid along the runway before crashing into navigation equipment and a wall. The impact triggered a devastating explosion, engulfing the plane in flames and reducing it to rubble. Only the tail section retained some recognizability, according to Muan fire chief Lee Jung-hyun.
Miraculously, two crew members, a man and a woman, survived the crash and were rescued from the tail section. They are currently receiving treatment for medium to severe injuries at local hospitals.
The South Korean Ministry of Transport stated this is the deadliest aviation disaster in the country’s history and the worst involving a South Korean airline in nearly three decades. The last major incident occurred in 1997 when a Korean Air flight crashed in Guam, killing over 200 people.
Investigators are examining several factors that may have contributed to the crash, including bird strikes and weather conditions. A bird strike warning had reportedly been issued by the control tower moments before the pilots declared a mayday and attempted to land.
Aviation experts have raised critical questions about the circumstances of the crash. “Why was the plane going so fast? Why were the flaps not deployed? Why was the landing gear not down?” asked Gregory Alegi, an aviation specialist.
Under international aviation protocols, South Korea will lead the investigation, with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Boeing, and the Federal Aviation Administration providing support.
At the airport, grieving families gathered in anguish as authorities identified victims. Many of the passengers were residents of nearby areas returning from vacations. Temporary morgues were set up as officials worked to handle the aftermath.
The tragedy has left the nation in mourning, with authorities vowing to uncover the cause of the disaster and prevent future occurrences. Early reports suggest that the plane was hit by a bird.
