A catastrophic plane crash occurred on Sunday at Muan International Airport in South Korea, resulting in the deaths of at least 174 individuals. The incident involved a Jeju Air passenger aircraft, which was carrying 181 people, including 175 passengers and six crew members. Preliminary reports indicate that the front landing gear failed to deploy, causing the plane to skid off the runway and colliding with a concrete barrier shortly after landing at approximately 9:03 AM local time.
Emergency responders swiftly mobilized to the scene, deploying 32 fire trucks and several helicopters to combat the blaze that engulfed the aircraft. While the fire has been largely contained, rescue operations are ongoing. So far, two survivors—a passenger and a crew member—have been rescued from the wreckage, both of whom are reported to have sustained serious injuries.
Eyewitness footage captured by local media showed the Jeju Air plane skidding across the runway with its landing gear still retracted before crashing into a wall on the airport's perimeter. The Transport Ministry confirmed that the flight had originated from Bangkok and included two Thai nationals among its passengers.
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, with initial assessments suggesting that a bird strike may have contributed to the landing gear malfunction. This tragic event marks one of South Korea's deadliest aviation disasters in recent history, reminiscent of a similar incident in 1997 when a Korean Air flight crashed in Guam, resulting in 228 fatalities.
In light of this disaster, South Korea's Acting President Choi Sang-mok has called for all available resources to be utilized for rescue operations and has expressed condolences to the victims' families.