Boeing 737-800 Plane Crashes and Catches Fire at Muan Airport in South Korea: Death Toll Rises to 96

Boeing 737-800 Plane Crashes and Catches Fire at Muan Airport in South Korea: Death Toll Rises to 96

A plane carrying 181 people crashed and caught fire after skidding off the runway at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, located 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on Sunday, December 29, 2024. The incident has resulted in the confirmed deaths of 96 people, as confirmed by South Korea’s National Fire Agency.

The Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, which was attempting to land at the airport, caught fire after it veered off the runway. The fire and smoke erupted from the tail section of the plane. The National Fire Agency confirmed that the death toll now stands at 96, including 25 men and 37 women. The agency also confirmed that two survivors, one passenger and one flight attendant, had been rescued.

According to FlightRadar data, the Jeju Air Boeing 737-8AS plane was seen attempting to land at Muan Airport in a video shared by the local MBC broadcaster. The entire plane was engulfed in flames, with smoke pouring from the engines.

Rescue teams were seen evacuating passengers from the rear section of the plane. So far, the National Fire Agency has confirmed that one flight attendant and one passenger were rescued. The agency has deployed 32 fire trucks and multiple fire personnel to the crash site at Muan International Airport.

Initial reports suggest the crash occurred as the plane made contact with birds while attempting to land, causing the landing gear to malfunction. Yonhap News Agency reported that this led to the accident.

South Korea: Passenger Plane Skids Off Runway & Bursts into Ball of Flames – At Least 96 Dead (Yonhap)

The aircraft’s front landing gear reportedly failed and it smacked into a concrete wall at Muan airport.

The Jeju flight was carrying 181 people from Bangkok. pic.twitter.com/w2l2yBBAIf

— RT_India (@RT_India_news) December 29, 2024

This is the first fatal accident in the history of Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, which was established in 2005. A similar incident occurred on August 12, 2007, when a Bombardier Q400 aircraft operated by Jeju Air skidded off the runway at Busan Gimhae Airport due to strong winds, resulting in several injuries.

Last year, an Asiana Airlines flight also faced a near-disaster during its landing when a passenger was forced to exit via an emergency exit, though the plane landed safely, and several passengers were hospitalized.

Read More;First Deployment: Israel Uses the US THAAD System to Counter Houthi Rebels! What’s Special About It?