Yonhap reported that at 9:07 a.m. on December 29, local time, a Jeju Air flight carrying 181 people from Bangkok (Thailand) crashed at Muan International Airport, about 288 km southwest of Seoul, South Korea.
AFP quoted fire official Lee Hyeon-ji as saying that the plane skidded off the runway, hit a fence and caught fire, killing at least 47 people and injuring many others. The death toll could rise as many of the injured are in critical condition.
According to authorities, the landing incident occurred after the aircraft's landing gear system had a problem. This forced the crew to make an emergency landing after failing to land for the first time.
witnesses said that there were signs that the landing gear was not activated properly, preventing the plane from slowing down. According to initial theories, the bird collision may have caused this technical problem.
At least 29 victims were killed, and their bodies were found mainly in the rear of the plane. Three people have been rescued, including one passenger and one crew member, while the number of injured is being updated.
The plane was severely damaged and suffered a major fire, the fire was extinguished after 43 minutes thanks to 80 firefighters.
Most of the passengers on the plane were Korean, except for the two Thai citizens.
Search and rescue work is still ongoing. Acting President Choi Sang-mok has directed all forces to focus on rescuing the victims and personally going to the scene.
The presidential office also called an emergency meeting at 11:30, chaired by Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk, to propose a comprehensive response plan.
National Police Commissioner Lee Ho-young requested mobilizing all resources to coordinate with rescue forces to provide maximum support at the scene.
The tragedy at Muan Airport has sounded the alarm about aviation safety in South Korea. The problem with the landing gear system, possibly due to bird collisions, raises many questions about preventive and technical maintenance measures in the aviation industry.
