Tragedy in South Korea: Plane skidded off runway and caught fire, over a hundred killed

(Patria) - At least 124 people were killed today when a plane landed without wheels, skidded off the runway and burned after hitting a wall at Muan International Airport in South Korea, fire officials announced.

Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from the Thai capital Bangkok with 181 passengers and crew, attempted to land at the airport in the south of the country around nine o'clock in the morning local time.

This is the worst air disaster for a South Korean air carrier in the last 30 years.

Video footage shows the twin-engine Boeing 737-800 sliding on the runway without landing gear, hitting a wall, and exploding into a massive fireball. Other photos show smoke and fire around parts of the aircraft.

- Two crew members, a man and a woman, were rescued from the tail of the burning plane. Only the tail is somewhat intact, the rest (of the plane) is unrecognizable - said fire chief Lee Jung-hyun at a press conference.

He added that it is no longer a rescue operation, but a search for bodies that fell out of the plane.

Citing firefighters, the Yonhap agency reported that most of the 175 passengers and six crew members are believed to have died.

This is the worst accident for a South Korean airline since 1997, when a Korean Air plane crashed in Guam, killing more than 200 people, according to data from the Ministry of Transport.

- Investigators are considering a bird strike and bad weather as possible causes of the accident - said Lee.

Yonhap quotes airport officials who said that a bird strike prevented the wheels from deploying.

Among the passengers were two Thais, and the rest are believed to be South Koreans, the relevant ministry announced.



The Boeing 737-800 aircraft, operated by Jeju Air, was manufactured in 2009. The company, founded in 2005, is a low-cost carrier with international flights to Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines, as well as several domestic destinations.

Company CEO Kim E-bae apologized for the accident and bowed deeply to the victims at a press conference.

He said the aircraft was airworthy, and airport officials in Bangkok said no defects were reported before the flight.

Manufacturer Boeing announced that it is in contact with Jeju Air and will assist in the investigation. All domestic and international flights at Muan Airport have been canceled, Yonhap reported.