A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan airport in South Korea’s South Jeolla province, killing 151 of the 181 onboard, including 175 passengers and six crew members. The flight, returning from Thailand, veered off the runway during a landing attempt, collided with a fence, and erupted in flames. Emergency services initiated rescue efforts around 9 am, managing to save two crew members while evacuating survivors from the aircraft's rear section.

Authorities attribute the crash to bird strikes, which reportedly damaged the plane's landing gear, compounded by adverse weather. Just two minutes before impact, the pilot issued a Mayday call after being warned about potential bird strikes by the control tower. The crash site revealed the plane's near-total destruction, with fire department officials noting challenges in identifying victims due to the extent of damage.

The runway length of 2,800 meters was ruled out as a contributing factor, as similar aircraft have operated there without issue. Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for all resources to be mobilized in rescue efforts, emphasizing the urgency of saving lives.

Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, apologized, expressing commitment to addressing the tragedy. The airline, established in 2005, suffered its first fatal accident with this crash. The aircraft involved was acquired in 2017 from RyanAir.

This disaster follows another aviation tragedy days earlier when an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38

A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan airport in South Korea’s South Jeolla province, killing 151 of the 181 onboard, including 175 passengers and six crew members. The flight, returning from Thailand, veered off the runway during a landing attempt, collided with a fence, and erupted in flames. Emergency services initiated rescue efforts around 9 am, managing to save two crew members while evacuating survivors from the aircraft's rear section.

Authorities attribute the crash to bird strikes, which reportedly damaged the plane's landing gear, compounded by adverse weather. Just two minutes before impact, the pilot issued a Mayday call after being warned about potential bird strikes by the control tower. The crash site revealed the plane's near-total destruction, with fire department officials noting challenges in identifying victims due to the extent of damage.

The runway length of 2,800 meters was ruled out as a contributing factor, as similar aircraft have operated there without issue. Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for all resources to be mobilized in rescue efforts, emphasizing the urgency of saving lives.

Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, apologized, expressing commitment to addressing the tragedy. The airline, established in 2005, suffered its first fatal accident with this crash. The aircraft involved was acquired in 2017 from RyanAir.

This disaster follows another aviation tragedy days earlier when an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crashed in Kazakhstan, killing 38