A plane crash occurred at Muan International Airport in South Korea on Sunday, resulting in the loss of 179 lives.
Only two people, both crew members, survived the catastrophic incident.
The plane, a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air, was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members from Bangkok when it skidded off the runway and burst into flames.
According to a spokesperson for the National Fire Agency, the plane crashed at around 9:03 a.m. local time, and firefighters managed to extinguish the initial blaze by 9:46 a.m.
The impact of the crash was so severe that the plane was “completely destroyed by fire,” said Joo Jong-wan, director of the Aviation Policy Division at South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport.
Eyewitness Lee Geun-Young, who was in his restaurant near the airport, described the scene. “Instead of heading toward the runway, the plane flew right over our store,” he said. “This plane was turning in a much tighter radius. It felt dangerous, so I immediately went up to the rooftop and started filming.”
The pilots had initially attempted to land on Runway 1, but were instructed by the control tower to switch to Runway 19 due to a bird strike warning. A minute later, the pilots sent a mayday signal after a bird strike and tried to land on Runway 19. However, the plane failed to lower its landing gear and struck a safety system called a localizer, before crashing into a wall.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with the National Transportation Safety Board leading an American team, including Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration, to assist South Korea.
The full investigation is expected to take six months to three years.
In a statement, President Joe Biden expressed his condolences and offered support to South Korea. “As close allies, the American people share deep bonds of friendship with the South Korean people, and our thoughts and prayers are with those impacted by this tragedy.”
The Red Cross has set up tents to provide privacy for grieving family members. Park Han-shin, who lost his brother in the crash, has formed a group to advocate for the rights of the victims’ families.
