South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster claimed 179 lives on Sunday when an airliner crash-landed and skidded off the runway, bursting into flames after colliding with a wall at Muan International Airport. Two crew members, the sole survivors, were rescued from the Boeing 787’s tail section and are currently receiving medical treatment for their injuries. Investigators are exploring several potential causes for the undercarriage failure, including a bird strike and adverse weather conditions.
The ill-fated flight, Jeju Air’s 7C2216, left the Thai capital, Bangkok, carrying 175 passengers and six crew. Of those on board, 77 were from South Korea, and two were from Thailand. The flight departed just after 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) at the airport in the south of the country, South Korea’s transport ministry said.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud “bang” and seeing sparks in the sky as the plane came down. Then, it skidded off the runway and hit a concrete wall at the edge of the airport, sending thick plumes of black smoke into the skies. A video aired by local media showed the plane, which was traveling at about 300 kilometers per hour (193 mph), slammed into the wall, burst into flames, and exploded.
Officials later said that the airplane was trying to land on a different runway than usual because of what appeared to be a bird strike in an area with less vegetation. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were retrieved, but because of damage, they could take up to a month to decode. A transport ministry official said the investigation will include interviews with control tower staff and communication data between the pilot and the control tower.
Family members of victims rushed to the scene, many of them crying as they waited for news. The 64-year-old grandmother of one victim stood at a departure hall at the airport, waiting to hear what became of her granddaughter, son, and daughter-in-law. The relatives of other passengers were kept in emergency tents set up inside the airport, where they sat holding each other as they awaited answers.
President Choi Sang-mok, who took over as acting leader on Friday after the previous acting president was impeached amid a political crisis, visited the crash site and ordered all-out rescue efforts. He also offered condolences to victims and their families. The airline apologized, with its top officials bowing deeply at a press conference. Xi Jinping, China’s president, also expressed condolences to the victims and their families in a post on social media.
