At least 177 people were killed in the deadliest air accident ever in South Korea on Sunday after a plane – flying from Bangkok – crashed while landing at Muan international airport shortly after 09:00 local time (00:00 GMT).
181 people were on board the plane at the time of the crash – including six crew members.
Two people, both crew members, were rescued from the wreckage and taken to hospital. They suffered “mid to severe” injuries, authorities said. Officials have suggested the rest on board are presumed dead.
84 women, 82 men and 11 others whose genders weren’t immediately identifiable died in the fire, the South Korean fire agency reported. Two people remained missing nine hours after the incident.
According to authorities, the youngest passenger was a three-year-old boy and the oldest was a 78-year-old. Five of the people who were killed in the crash were children under the age of 10.
A local fire official said the crash could have been caused by a bird strike and weather conditions, but the exact cause is not yet known.
The plane involved in the crash was a Boeing 737-800 flown by Korean budget airline Jeju Air.
A transport ministry official said workers had retrieved the flight data and cockpit voice recorders of the plane’s black box. They will be examined by government experts. The runway is expected to be closed until 1 January.
Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae apologised for the accident, bowing deeply during a televised briefing. He said the aircraft had no record of accidents and there were no early signs of malfunction. (The Guardian)
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