SEOUL – A passenger jet burst into flames while landing at an airport in South Korea on Sunday, killing 179 individuals in one of many deadliest air disasters in that nation’s historical past. There have been solely two survivors, officers stated.
Video confirmed the airplane skidding throughout the airstrip, overrunning the runway and crashing right into a barrier on the airport about 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Seoul on Sunday. Its entrance touchdown gear apparently was not deployed.
Listed below are some issues to find out about crash:
What preceded the lethal hearth?
The pilot despatched out a misery sign shortly earlier than the airplane overshot the top of the runway, officers stated.
Footage aired by South Korean tv channels confirmed the airplane skidding — and apparently with out its touchdown gear deployed. The jet overran the runway and hit a barrier, trigging a fiery explosion. Footage confirmed thick plumes of smoke billowing from the airplane, which was engulfed in flames.
The 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet was arriving from Bangkok when the crash occurred at 9:03 a.m. Sunday within the city of Muan.
Staff have retrieved the flight knowledge and cockpit voice recorders of the airplane’s black field, which will probably be examined by authorities consultants investigating the reason for the crash and hearth, Senior Transport Ministry official Joo Jong-wan stated.
What can we find out about casualities?
The jet operated by Jeju Air had 181 passengers and crew. Of these, a complete of 179 individuals perished within the crash and ensuing hearth; solely two crew members survived, officers stated.
Relations wailed as officers introduced the names of some victims at a lounge within the Muan airport.
Kim E-bae, Jeju Air’s president, bowed deeply with different senior firm officers as he apologized to bereaved households and stated he feels “full duty” for the incident. Boeing additionally prolonged condolences and stated in an announcement on X that it is able to help the corporate in coping with the crash.
The federal government declared Muan a particular catastrophe zone.
What about reviews of a chook strike?
It should take months to find out the trigger. However there are some attainable clues.
Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the Muan hearth station, stated staff had been wanting into varied potentialities about what precipitated the crash, together with whether or not the plane was struck by birds. Transport Ministry officers stated the airport management tower issued a chook strike warning to the airplane shortly earlier than it meant to land and gave its pilot permission to land in a special space.
The airplane was destroyed with the tail meeting being the one recognizable half among the many wreckage, the hearth chief informed a televised briefing.
What’s the response from world wide?
The incident got here as South Korea is embroiled in a political disaster triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning imposition of martial law and ensuing impeachment. Final Friday, South Korean lawmakers impeached acting President Han Duck-soo, main Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok to take over.
Choi, who traveled to the crash website, known as for officers to make use of all out there sources to seek out the lacking and establish the victims as quickly as attainable. The federal government designated a weeklong nationwide mourning interval via Saturday.
Yoon’s workplace stated his chief secretary, Chung Jin-suk, presided over an emergency assembly between senior presidential employees to debate the crash and reported the main points to Choi. Yoon additionally expressed condolences to the victims.
World leaders expressed their sympathies as South Korea handled the tragedy.
Thailand’s prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, expressed deep condolences to the households and ordered the nation’s Ministry of International Affairs to offer help instantly. Pope Francis supplied condolences from St. Peter’s Sq.. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated he was “deeply saddened by the lack of many valuable lives.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy additionally prolonged condolences.
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Related 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.
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