South Korea Plane Crash: 85 Dead as Aircraft Skids on Runway, Hits Airport Wall, and Explodes Due to Landing Gear Failure

A Jeju Air flight from Bangkok to South Korea crashed at Muan International Airport on Sunday. According to the Korea Times, 85 out of the 181 people on board have been confirmed dead. Two survivors were rescued, while 94 other passengers are feared dead.

Technical Malfunction During Landing

News agency Yonhap reported that the plane encountered a technical failure in its landing gear while approaching the airport. This forced the aircraft to land without a functional landing gear.

Fatal Crash on the Runway

After landing, the plane skidded on the runway and collided with the airport wall, resulting in a crash. The aircraft carried six crew members and 175 passengers. The crash occurred at 5:37 AM Indian Standard Time (9:07 AM local time) at the South Jeolla Province airport on South Korea’s southwest coast.

Two Rescued, Rescue Operation Ongoing

The fire officer at Muan Airport informed Reuters news agency that the fire on the plane has been brought under control. So far, two people have been rescued alive from the aircraft. Rescue operations are still underway at the crash site. 

Most passengers were in the rear section of the plane, and efforts are being made to evacuate them from there. The majority of passengers on the plane were South Korean nationals, along with two citizens of Thailand.

Plane Crash in Kazakhstan Four Days Ago

On December 25, a plane traveling from Azerbaijan to Russia crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan. The aircraft had 67 people on board, including five crew members. Tragically, 38 people lost their lives in the incident. The plane was en route from Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to Grozny.