SEOUL:
At least 28 individuals lost their lives when an airliner veered off the runway and collided with a wall at South Korea’s Muan International Airport on Sunday, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The incident involved Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members on a journey from Bangkok, Thailand, to the airport in southern South Korea, the report stated.
Two survivors were located, and rescue efforts were ongoing, a Muan fire official confirmed, although they could not verify the reported death toll of 28. Efforts to rescue individuals trapped in the tail section were underway, according to an airport representative who spoke to Reuters.
Footage shared by local media depicted the twin-engine aircraft skidding along the runway without visible landing gear before striking a wall, resulting in a fiery explosion and scattered debris. Additional images showed sections of the plane engulfed in smoke and flames.
Flight tracking platform FlightRadar24 identified the aircraft as a Boeing 737-800. Boeing has not yet responded to requests for comment, nor has the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which was contacted via email.
South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, who assumed the role on Friday following the impeachment of the previous acting president during a political crisis, instructed authorities to mobilise comprehensive rescue efforts, his office announced. Choi’s chief of staff convened an emergency meeting in response to the tragedy.
A spokesperson for Jeju Air confirmed that the airline was investigating the reports.
The incident marks one of the most devastating aviation accidents in South Korea’s history, with no similar occurrences recorded at Muan International Airport before. The tragedy has raised significant concerns about aviation safety standards and emergency preparedness within the country.
