Fiery Airliner Crash at South Korea’s Muan Airport Claims 62 Lives
At least 62 people lost their lives when an airliner veered off the runway and burst into flames after colliding with a wall at South Korea’s Muan International Airport on Sunday, according to the national fire agency.
Two survivors were rescued, officials confirmed, while rescue operations remain underway.
The tragic incident involved Jeju Air flight 7C2216, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members from Bangkok, Thailand. The crash occurred shortly after 9 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) as the plane attempted to land, South Korea’s transport ministry stated.
Though the ministry has yet to confirm casualty details, fire officials reported that 58 bodies have been recovered so far, with the number likely to rise. An airport official mentioned ongoing efforts to rescue passengers trapped in the plane’s tail section.
Video footage shared by local media showed the Boeing 737-800 skidding along the runway without its landing gear before slamming into a wall, erupting into flames and scattering debris. Smoke and fire engulfed significant portions of the aircraft.
Initial reports suggest the landing gear may have malfunctioned due to a possible bird strike, with one passenger reportedly texting a family member about a bird stuck in the wing before the crash. Authorities are investigating multiple theories, though none have been confirmed.
The victims included two Thai nationals, with the remaining passengers believed to be South Korean, the transport ministry stated.
Following the crash, all flights at Muan airport were suspended. Jeju Air and Boeing are working to determine the cause of the accident, while the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has yet to comment.
South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok has ordered comprehensive rescue efforts and convened an emergency meeting to address the disaster.
