Muan, South Korea: A Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people met with tragedy when it skidded off the runway and crashed into a perimeter wall at Muan International Airport, approximately 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul. The incident occurred at around 9:07 AM during an emergency landing attempt.
Authorities confirmed 85 fatalities, with operations now focused on recovering victims. Only two individuals survived the crash—a passenger and a female crew member—both of whom are currently receiving treatment at a hospital in Mokpo.
The aircraft, which departed from Bangkok, was carrying six crew members and 175 passengers, most of whom were South Korean nationals, along with two Thai nationals. Local television footage revealed that the plane attempted to land without deploying its landing gear, before skidding, crashing into a concrete wall, and erupting into flames.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok arrived at the crash site around noon to oversee the rescue efforts. He directed all resources to be mobilized to assist with the search and recovery operations, while extending condolences to the families of the victims. Choi also assured government support for the affected families.
The Jeolla Province Police Agency elevated the emergency level to its highest, deploying rescue teams, firefighters, and police to the site. Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk is set to chair an emergency meeting to discuss further actions.
Preliminary investigations suggest that a malfunction in the landing gear, potentially caused by a bird strike, may have been the primary cause of the crash. Authorities are conducting a thorough investigation to determine other contributing factors.