At least 124 people have died in South Korea’s worst air disaster in almost 30 years after a Jeju Air plane crashed while landing at Muan International Airport.
The Boeing 737, flying from Bangkok, skidded down the runway without landing gear and hit a wall, causing a massive explosion. Dramatic videos show the fiery crash. Only two crew members survived, pulled from the wreckage that firefighters described as “barely recognizable.”
The crash happened at around 9 a.m. local time on Sunday. A passenger reportedly sent a text to a relative saying, “A bird is stuck in the wing” and, chillingly, “Should I say my last words?” moments before the accident.
Investigators are looking into whether a bird strike caused the landing gear to fail. The control tower had warned of bird activity just before the pilots declared an emergency.
Jeju Air’s CEO, Kim E-bae, apologized to the victims’ families and said the 14-year-old aircraft had no prior technical issues.
Rescue operations have now shifted to recovery, with emergency workers searching for victims near the crash site, which witnesses say smells strongly of fuel and blood. A temporary morgue has been set up nearby.
South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, visited the scene and pledged full government support. This is the country’s deadliest aviation disaster since 1997.
