A devastating tragedy has unfolded as at least 179 people lost their lives when a passenger aircraft skidded off the runway and crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport in South Korea, marking one of the country’s most catastrophic aviation accidents.
The incident occurred at 9:03 AM local time (00:03 GMT) on Sunday, when the Jeju Air flight, which was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members from Bangkok, Thailand, was approaching Muan International Airport, situated approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) southwest of Seoul.
The National Fire Agency confirmed the heartbreaking toll of 179 fatalities, including 85 women, 84 men, and 10 individuals whose gender could not immediately be ascertained. Only two survivors, both crew members, were rescued from the wreckage. The fire that engulfed the plane has since been brought under control.
Initial investigations point to a bird strike as the likely cause of the crash, leading to a malfunction in the aircraft’s landing gear as it was preparing to land at the airport.
Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride, reporting from Seoul, stated that this incident is now being recognized as the deadliest air disaster in South Korea’s history.