A tragic plane crash occurred on Sunday at Muan International Airport in southwestern South Korea, resulting in a significant loss of life. A passenger jet operated by Jeju Air, which was arriving from Bangkok, crash-landed and skidded along the runway on its belly before erupting into flames.
According to the local fire department, at least 122 fatalities have been confirmed, with ongoing rescue efforts revealing only two survivors—both of whom were crew members. Authorities have indicated that the chances of finding additional survivors are minimal, raising fears that the death toll could rise substantially.
This incident marks the deadliest aviation disaster in South Korea since 1997, when a Korean Airlines Boeing 747 tragically crashed in a jungle in Guam, killing 228 people. Video footage captured the moment the Jeju Air plane landed improperly, skidding off the runway as smoke billowed from its engines before it collided with a wall and was engulfed in flames.
A local fire official provided a briefing to families, explaining, “Passengers were ejected from the aircraft following the impact with the wall, leaving little hope for survival.” The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport confirmed that the aircraft was a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800, and among the passengers were two Thai nationals.
The National Fire Agency mobilized an extensive rescue operation, deploying 32 fire trucks and several helicopters to combat the blaze and assist with the recovery efforts. The agency reported that out of the 181 individuals aboard, at least 151 people—comprising 71 women, 71 men, and nine whose genders were not immediately identifiable—perished in the fire.
As night fell approximately six hours post-incident, dozens of passengers remained unaccounted for, solidifying this crash as one of the most catastrophic in South Korean history. The National Fire Agency confirmed the grim statistics: “Currently, two individuals have been rescued, and 151 fatalities have been confirmed,” while relatives gathered at the airport in distress as the search and rescue operations continued.
Aviation experts suggested that the failure of the aircraft’s undercarriage, particularly the landing gear, to fully deploy prior to landing might have contributed to the disaster. However, the specific cause of this malfunction remains uncertain. Speculation regarding potential bird strikes or adverse weather conditions has surfaced, although Lee Jeong-hyun, the head of the Muan Fire Department, stated that the cause might be linked to these factors. Notably, footage of the crash indicated clear skies at the time of the incident.
David Soucie, a former safety inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration, emphasized the importance of careful investigation over speculation, stating, “Speculation is the worst enemy of an investigator.” He highlighted how protected the information surrounding aircraft accidents is, to prevent premature conclusions.
Scott Hamilton, an aviation industry consultant, echoed these sentiments, urging South Korean officials to refrain from making definitive statements at this early stage of the investigation. He remarked, “The aircraft is nearly completely destroyed, making the identification of the deceased a time-consuming process as we work to recover remains.”
By mid-afternoon, only the two flight attendants had been rescued, while 120 deaths were confirmed. An AFP photographer captured images of the charred wreckage of the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 on the runway, with emergency personnel working diligently nearby.
In response to the tragedy, South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Winston Peters, expressed condolences on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “We are deeply saddened by the tragic plane crash at Muan Airport in South Korea.”
Zainab Y.
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