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At least 179 people lost their lives when a passenger plane skidded off the runway and crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport in South Korea. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at 9:03 a.m. local time (00:03 GMT), is one of the deadliest in the country’s history.
The ill-fated Jeju Air flight, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, had departed from Bangkok, Thailand. The accident happened approximately 290 kilometers (180 miles) southwest of Seoul, as the aircraft approached the airport.
According to the National Fire Agency, all 179 victims included 85 women, 84 men, and 10 individuals whose genders could not be immediately determined. Only two people—both crew members—survived the crash and have been rescued.
Emergency services reported that the plane caught fire upon impact, but the flames were eventually extinguished. Investigators believe the crash was caused by a collision with birds, which may have led to a malfunction in the aircraft’s landing gear during its final descent.
The accident has been described as the worst aviation disaster in South Korea’s history. Al Jazeera’s Rob McBride, reporting from Seoul, highlighted the scale of the tragedy and the devastating impact on the nation.
Authorities have launched a full investigation into the crash to determine the exact sequence of events and prevent future occurrences.
