South Korean plane crash: Death toll rises to 124
South Korea's Fire Department confirmed that some survivors have been rescued, and efforts to help others continue.
KATHMANDU: A passenger jet carrying 181 people erupted in flames after veering off the runway and crashing into a wall at Muan International Airport in South Korea’s southwestern Muan County on Sunday.
Authorities confirmed that all but two passengers are presumed dead.
The incident occurred at 9:07 a.m. when the Jeju Air flight, returning from Bangkok, failed to land properly. It skidded off the runway and collided with a concrete wall at the airport, located in South Jeolla Province, about 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul.
Of the 181 people on board, including six crew members, only two survivors—a passenger and a crew member, both women—were rescued. The remaining individuals are believed to have perished, with firefighting authorities shifting to body recovery operations. As of now, 124 fatalities have been confirmed.
“After the crash, passengers were ejected from the aircraft. The chances of survival are extremely low,” stated an official from the firefighting agency. “The plane has been nearly destroyed, and identification of the deceased is difficult. Recovery efforts will take time.”
The incident prompted the establishment of a temporary morgue at the airport to store the bodies. The majority of passengers were South Korean, with two Thai nationals aboard.
Local TV footage revealed the plane attempting to land without its landing gear deployed. The aircraft skidded along the runway before crashing into a concrete wall and exploding into flames.
Authorities suspect that the failure of the landing gear, possibly due to a bird strike, may have contributed to the crash. Investigations are underway to determine the precise cause.
South Jeolla authorities raised the emergency alert to the highest level and deployed all available rescue and police forces.
