.The Epoch Times World News Asia & Pacific At Least 177 Dead After Plane Crashes, Explodes During Emergency Landing at South Korean Airport The Jeju Air flight was carrying 175 passengers and six flight attendants. At Least 177 Dead After Plane Crashes, Explodes During Emergency Landing at South Korean Airport Firefighters carry out extinguishing operations on an aircraft which drove off runaway at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla Province, South Korea, December 29, 2024. Yonhap via REUTERS Melanie Sun By Melanie Sun 12/28/2024 Updated: 12/29/2024 A passenger plane on Sunday caught fire after a failed landing at South Korea’s Muan International Airport. Most of the 181 people on board died in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. Investigating authorities said the plane’s landing gear malfunctioned and failed to deploy during a second landing attempt, forcing the pilots to conduct a belly landing near the end of the runway. The Boeing 737-800 jet failed to reduce speed, exceeded the runway, and crashed into a fence at the outer perimeter of the airport. It then exploded. Thick black smoke filled the air at the crash site. Investigators are considering a bird collision as the cause of the malfunction, Yonhap reported. At least 177 people—84 women, 82 men, and 11 others whose genders weren’t immediately identifiable—died in the fire, the South Korean fire agency said. Emergency workers pulled two people, both crew members, to safety. Health officials said they are conscious and not in life-threatening condition. Two people remained missing about nine hours after the incident. Among the 177 bodies found, officials have so far identified 57 of them, the fire agency said. The Jeju Air flight 7C2216 was carrying 181 passengers, including six flight attendants, as it was returning from Bangkok, Thailand. The passengers included two Thai nationals and the rest are believed to be South Koreans, according to the transportation ministry. The crash occurred just after 9 a.m. local time. The fire took 43 minutes to extinguish, the Herald reported. Two survivors were found alive early in the rescue operation that focused on the tail section of the plane, Yonhap reported. The two survivors have since been confirmed as one female and one male crew member, the Jeonnam Fire Services headquarters said. The Muan airport is located in Korea’s South Jeolla Province. All domestic and international flights at the airport were canceled following the deadly crash, Yonhap reported. Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who was named interim leader of the country on Friday after the previous acting president was impeached amid an ongoing political crisis, ordered all-out rescue efforts, his office said. His chief of staff convened an emergency meeting.
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