A catastrophic plane crash occurred on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at Muan Airport in South Korea, resulting in the tragic loss of 179 lives. The incident unfolded when a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, carrying 181 individuals, skidded off the runway and collided with a concrete fence after its front landing gear reportedly failed to deploy. This marks one of the deadliest aviation disasters in South Korea's history.

Details of the Crash

The aircraft, a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800, had arrived from Bangkok and crashed at 9:03 a.m. local time. The fire that engulfed the plane was nearly extinguished by emergency responders, but rescue operations continued as officials worked tirelessly to pull survivors from the wreckage.

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Rescue and Response

Emergency crews deployed 32 fire trucks and several helicopters to combat the blaze. Additionally, 1,570 personnel, including firefighters, police officers, and soldiers, were involved in the massive rescue and recovery effort. Two individuals—a passenger and a crew member—were pulled from the wreckage alive.

Casualties

Among the 181 people onboard, 177 bodies have been recovered, with 88 victims identified so far. Most passengers were South Korean nationals, alongside two Thai citizens who tragically lost their lives. Thailand’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the identities of its nationals through South Korean authorities.

Investigation Underway

Both black boxes, the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, have been recovered and are expected to provide crucial insights into the cause of the crash. The Transport Ministry and aviation experts are collaborating to determine the sequence of events leading to this devastating accident.

Historical Context

This incident is one of South Korea's most tragic aviation disasters since the 1997 Korean Airlines crash in Guam, which claimed 228 lives.

National Mourning

The nation is reeling from this tragedy, with families mourning the loss of loved ones and authorities promising a thorough investigation to prevent similar occurrences in the future.

The aviation community, both locally and globally, extends its condolences to the families of the victims as South Korea copes with this unimaginable loss.