South Korea plane crash kills 179, only 2 crew members survive

A Jeju Air flight with 181 passengers on board, traveling from Thailand to South Korea, crashed upon arrival on Sunday. All but two passengers were killed as the plane slammed into a barrier and erupted into flames. (Track latest updates here)

Authorities have suggested that a bird strike and harsh weather conditions may have contributed to the crash. Fire officials reported that the impact threw passengers from the plane and left it "almost completely destroyed."

Footage captured the Jeju Air aircraft, arriving from Bangkok, landing on its belly at Muan International Airport. It then skidded off the runway, with smoke billowing from the engines, before crashing into a wall and bursting into 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 179 people were confirmed dead by early evening, the fire department said in a statement.

Bits of plane seats and luggage were strewn across the field next to the runway, not far from the charred tail, offering a glimpse into the catastrophic impact of the crash.

Tears in airport terminal

Family members of passengers on Jeju Air Flight 2216 gathered anxiously inside the airport terminal, awaiting news of their loved ones. The airport's information boards, typically used to display arrival and departure information, instead listed the names, dates of birth, and nationalities of the victims.

The Ministry of Land reported that the accident occurred at 9.03 am local time on Sunday during the plane's landing. On board were 175 passengers, including two Thai nationals, and six crew members.

According to the ministry, the sequence of events unfolded rapidly. "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," the ministry stated. Just two minutes before the crash, the pilot issued a Mayday call.

When questioned about the possibility that the runway's length contributed to the accident, an official dismissed this theory. Video footage shows the plane veering off the tarmac and colliding with a wall. However, the official noted, "The runway is 2,800 metres long, and similar-sized aircraft have been operating on it without issues... 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.

Low-cost carrier Jeju Air 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".

Plane engulfed in flames

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.

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.

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.