.Two survive
In an emergency meeting on Sunday, South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok declared a seven-day national mourning period until January 4 following the deadly plane crash at Muan International Airport that killed 179.
All on board except two crew members are feared dead as a plane carrying 181 passengers and six crew on a flight from Bangkok to South Korea’s Muan International Airport crashed and burst into flames early Sunday. Expressing his condolences, Choi in a post on X said, “The government would like to offer its sincere condolences to the bereaved families and will do its best to recover from this accident and prevent a recurrence.”
The crash site has been declared as a special disaster zone.
A Jeju Air flight which was landing shortly after 9 am local time at the airport veered off the runway and erupted into a fireball as it slammed into a wall at the airport.
In videos shared by local news agencies, the twin-engine aircraft is seen skidding down the runway with no apparent landing gear before slamming into a wall in an explosion.
The 175 passengers included two Thai nationals, and the rest are believed to be South Koreans, according to the transportation ministry.
The plane was a Boeing 737-800 jet operated by Jeju Air. The airlines is seeking details of the accident, including its casualties and cause, an airline spokesperson said. South Korean acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered all-out rescue efforts, according to his office.
Also, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expresses condolences to families of deceased and injured
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her condolences to the families of the deceased and injured in a post on X.
“I would like to express my condolences to the families of the deceased and injured. I have ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urgently investigate whether there are any Thai passengers on this plane and what the current situation is. I have ordered immediate assistance. If there are Thai passengers, please contact their families to inform them of the progress and have the Ministry of Foreign Affairs report the situation at all times,” she said.
Two Thai women were on the plane, aged 22 and 45, Thai government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said, adding that details were still being verified, as reported by Reuters.
‘We stand ready to support them’, Boeing said in a statement on Sunday.
It is the first fatal flight for Jeju Air since its launch in 2005. The low-cost airline is ranked behind Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines in terms of the number of passengers in South Korea.
Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae apologised for the accident, bowing deeply during a televised briefing.
“No record of accidents and there were no early signs of malfunction. The airline will cooperate with investigators and make supporting the bereaved its top priority,” Kim said.
President of Airports of Thailand, Kerati Kijmanawat also said, “No abnormal conditions were reported when the aircraft left Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.”
The accident took place only three weeks after Jeju Air started regular flights from Muan to Bangkok and other Asian cities on December 8.
Extending its support, Boeing Airlines, in an emailed statement said, “We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding flight 2216 and stand ready to support them. We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”
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