Breaking: Plane Crash Kills 167, Airline CEO Apologises
Firefighters and rescue team members work near the wreckage of a passenger plane at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Korea, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
The CEO of South Korean airline Jeju Air has apologised to the victims of the plane crash at South Korea’s Muan International Airport that killed at least 167 people today, Sunday December 29.
In a short media briefing, CEO Kim E-bae said the cause of the crash was still unknown, that the aircraft had 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.
Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from the Thai capital Bangkok with 181 people on board, was attempting to land shortly after 9am (8am, Singapore time) at the airport in the south of the country when the incident occurred, South Korea’s transport ministry said.
The aircraft smashed into a barrier and burst into flames, leaving all but two feared dead.
A bird strike and adverse weather conditions were cited by authorities as likely causes of the crash that flung passengers out of the plane and left it “almost completely destroyed”, according to fire officials.
Video showed the Jeju Air plane from Bangkok landing on its belly at Muan International Airport, skidding off the runway as smoke streamed out from the engines, before crashing into a wall and exploding in flames.
“Passengers were ejected from the aircraft after it collided with the wall, leaving little chance of survival,” a local fire official told families at a briefing, according to a statement released by the fire brigade.
“The plane is almost completely destroyed, and identifying the deceased is proving difficult. The process is taking time as we locate and recover the remains,” he was quoted as saying.
Only two people were rescued, both flight attendants, and 124 people were confirmed dead by mid-afternoon, the fire department said in a statement.
The accident took place in a matter of minutes on Sunday, the Ministry of Land said, with 175 passengers, including two Thai nationals, and six crew on board.
“It took approximately three minutes from the control tower’s mention of a bird strike warning to the aircraft’s attempt to land on the runway again,” it said.
Two minutes before the crash, the pilot issued a Mayday call, it added.
When asked if the accident happened due to the runway being too short – video shows the plane coming off the tarmac and hitting a wall – the official said this was likely not a factor.
“The runway is 2,800m long, and similar-sized aircraft have been operating on it without issues,” they said.
“It is unlikely that the accident was caused by the length of the runway.”
Lee Jeong-hyun, chief of Muan fire station, said during a briefing that the cause was “presumed to be a bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions.
“However, the exact cause will be announced following a joint investigation,” Lee said.
Authorities said families were waiting at the first floor of the Muan airport. Many were seen crying in despair as they heard the news.
Low-cost carrier Jeju Air has apologised and vowed to do all it could to help.
“We sincerely apologise for causing concern,” the airline said in a statement posted on its social media channels.
Boeing said in a statement that it was in touch with Jeju Air and stood “ready to support them.”
South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok, who only took office Friday, convened an emergency meeting with cabinet members to discuss rescue operations and response before heading to Muan, his office said.
“I believe no words of consolation would suffice for the bereaved families who have suffered this tragedy,” said Choi.
“The entire government is working closely together to manage the aftermath of the accident, dedicating all available resources, while making every effort to ensure thorough support for the bereaved families,” he added.
Acting President Choi also designated Muan as a special disaster zone, which makes it eligible for significant state support.
It is the first fatal accident in the history of Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, which was set up in 2005.
On August 12, 2007, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air carrying 74 passengers came off the runway due to strong winds at the southern Busan-Gimhae airport, resulting in a dozen injuries.
South Korea’s aviation industry has a solid track record for safety, experts say.
Last year, a passenger opened an emergency exit on an Asiana Airlines flight as it was preparing to land, with the aircraft landing safely but several people were hospitalised.
A number of fatal aviation accidents have occurred globally due to bird strikes, which can cause a loss of power if the animals are sucked into the air intakes.
In 2009, a US Airways Airbus A320 famously landed in New York’s Hudson River after bird strikes on both of its engines, in an incident widely known as the “Miracle on the Hudson” because there was no loss of life.
