A passenger plane carrying 181 people crashed and exploded into a fireball in South Korea on Saturday.
According to preliminary reports, Jeju Air Flight 2216, operating a Boeing 737-800, was flying from Bangkok to Muan Airport when it crashed into the wall at the end of the runway.
The plane tried landing without landing gear.
Tragically, 179 of the 181 people on board lost their lives, making it the deadliest aviation disaster on South Korean soil, Reuters reported.
(URGENT) 175 passengers, 6 crew members aboard plane crashed at Muan airport https://t.co/n7p8F6A4NI
— Yonhap News Agency (@YonhapNews) December 29, 2024
SOUTH KOREA PLANE CRASH
– Jeju Air Flight 2216, flying from Bangkok to Muan
– 181 people on board
– Tried landing without landing gear
– Crashed into wall at end of runway
– At least 28 killed, 2 survivors
– Fate of 151 people still unknown— BNO News (@BNONews) December 29, 2024
Reuters reported:
The crash was the worst for any South Korean airline since a 1997 Korean Air crash in Guam that killed more than 200 people, transportation ministry data showed. The previous worst on South Korean soil was an Air China crash that killed 129 in 2002.Experts said the bird strike report and the way the aircraft attempted to land raised more questions than answers.“At this point there are a lot more questions than we have answers. Why was the plane going so fast? Why were the flaps not open? Why was the landing gear not down?,” said Gregory Alegi, an aviation expert and former teacher at Italy’s air force academy.Under global aviation rules, South Korea will lead a civil investigation into the crash and automatically involve the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the United States where the plane was designed and built.The NTSB said later it was leading a team of U.S. investigators to help South Korea’s aviation authority. Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration were also taking part.
WATCH:
BREAKING: Video shows crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in South Korea. 181 people on board pic.twitter.com/9rQUC0Yxt8
— BNO News (@BNONews) December 29, 2024
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional information.
