SAD- NEWS AGAIN! December Turns Sorrowful As 96 Passengers Dies In Tragic Plane Crash; SEE Where It Happened
A Jeju Air flight carrying 181 people from Bangkok to South Korea experienced a tragic accident upon arrival on Sunday, crashing into a barrier and erupting into flames. As of now, only two survivors have been rescued, while 96 fatalities have been confirmed. Authorities suggested that a combination of bird strikes and adverse weather conditions may have contributed to the crash, which left the aircraft ” almost completely destroyed, ” according to local fire officials. Eyewitness videos captured the Boeing 737- 8AS landing on its belly, lacking wheels, and skidding off the runway, followed by a collision with a wall and an ensuing fire.
During a briefing to the families of passengers, a local fire official described the chaotic aftermath: ” Passengers were ejected from the aircraft after it collided with the barrier, leaving little chance of survival. The plane is nearly unidentifiable, making it challenging to identify the deceased, which is complicating recovery efforts. ” The official further stated that the process of locating and recovering remains was taking considerable time. Currently, the fire department reports two rescued individuals, both of whom are flight attendants, confirming that none of the passenger survivors were among the initial rescues.
Images from the crash site indicated the tail section of the aircraft engulfed in flames, with firefighters and emergency vehicles on the scene. Lee Jeong- hyun, chief of Muan fire station, reiterated the early theories regarding the cause of the accident, emphasizing that a detailed investigation would follow to determine the exact circumstances. ” The cause of the accident is presumed to be a bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions, ” he stated.
Muan International Airport, located approximately 288 kilometers (179 miles) southwest of Seoul, was the site of the incident, which occurred at 9: 03 AM local time (0003 GMT) during the landing of Jeju Air Flight 2216. The flight was reported to have a total of 175 passengers, including two Thai nationals, and six crew members.
In response to the disaster, Jeju Air has issued an apology and pledged to provide all necessary assistance to those affected. ” We at Jeju Air will do everything in our power in response to this accident. We sincerely apologize for causing concern, ” the airline stated on its social media platforms.
Acting President Choi Sang- mok called for the mobilization of all available resources to aid in the rescue efforts. He convened an emergency meeting with cabinet members to coordinate a response and visited Muan to oversee the operations personally. Choi expressed his deep sympathy for the victims’ families: ” I believe no words of consolation would be sufficient for those who have suffered this tragedy. ”
This incident marks the first fatal accident in Jeju Air’ s history since its establishment in 2005. The airline previously faced a serious incident in 2007 when one of its Bombardier Q400 planes skidded off the runway in Busan due to strong winds, resulting in minor injuries. South Korea’ s aviation industry is generally regarded as safe, although there have been isolated incidents, such as an emergency exit opening mid- flight last year on an Asiana Airlines flight, which led to several hospitalizations but no fatalities.
Bird strikes have been known to cause serious aviation accidents globally and remain a significant concern for airlines. One of the most notable incidents occurred in 2009 when a US Airways Airbus A320 made an emergency landing in the Hudson River after its engines lost power due to bird strikes, an event widely referred to as the ” Miracle on the Hudson, ” which resulted in no loss of life.