SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A passenger plane burst into flames as it landed at a South Korean airport on Sunday, killing 179 people and making it one of the deadliest air disasters in South Korean history. Officials said there were only two survivors.
Video shows the plane skidding off the runway and crashing into a barrier at the airport about 180 miles south of Seoul on Sunday. The front landing gear does not appear to be deployed.
Here’s what you need to know about crashes:
What happened before the deadly fire broke out?
The pilot sent out a distress signal just before the plane crossed the end of the runway, officials said.
Footage aired by a South Korean TV channel showed the plane sliding, with its landing gear apparently not deployed. The jet overshot the runway and hit a barrier, causing a fiery explosion. Video shows a thick plume of smoke rising from the plane, which is engulfed in flames.
The 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 plane was arriving from Bangkok when the crash occurred at about 9:03 a.m. Sunday in the town of Muan.
Joo Jong-wan, a senior official at the Ministry of Transportation, said, “Personnel have recovered flight data and cockpit voice recorders from the plane’s black box, which will be examined by government experts investigating the cause of the crash and fire.”
What do we know about casualties?
The plane operated by Jeju Air had 181 passengers and crew on board. Of those, a total of 179 people died in the crash and subsequent fire. Only two crew members survived, officials said.
Family members wept in the Muan Airport lounge as officials announced the names of some of the victims.
Kim Lee-bae, CEO of Jeju Air, apologized to the bereaved family and bowed his head deeply along with the company’s high-ranking officials, saying, “I take full responsibility” for this incident. Boeing also expressed condolences in a statement about X and said it stands ready to assist the company in dealing with the crash.
The government declared Muan a special disaster area.
What about reports of bird strikes?
It takes months to determine the cause. However, there are some possible clues.
Muan Fire Department Chief Lee Jeong-hyeon said they were investigating various possibilities for the cause of the crash, including whether the plane hit birds. Transportation Department officials said the airport control tower issued a bird strike warning to the plane just before it landed and gave the pilot permission to land in another area.
The plane was destroyed with its tail section the only recognizable part of the wreckage, the fire chief said in a televised briefing.
What is the reaction from around the world?
This incident occurred while South Korea was engulfed in a political crisis due to President Yoon Seok-yeol’s surprising declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachment. Last Friday, South Korea’s National Assembly impeached Acting President Han Deok-soo and allowed Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok to take office.
Choi, who visited the crash site, urged officials to mobilize all available resources to find the missing and identify the victims as quickly as possible. The government designated a week-long national mourning period starting Saturday.
Secretary Yoon’s office announced that Chief of Staff Jeong Jin-seok presided over an emergency meeting of Blue House senior secretaries and reported details of the accident to Mr. Choi. Mr. Yoon also expressed condolences to the victims.
World leaders expressed condolences over South Korea’s handling of the tragedy.
Thai Prime Minister Patong Than Shinawatra expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide immediate support. Pope Francis paid condolences at St. Peter’s Square. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was “deeply saddened by the loss of so many precious lives.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also expressed condolences.
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Associated Press journalists Bobby Caina Calvan in New York, Chalida Ekvitthayavechnukul and Jintamas Saksornchai in Bangkok, Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo, Giada Zampano in Rome and David Sharp in Portland, Maine, contributed to this report.
