29-Dec-2024 10:43 AM
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Muan (South Korea), Dec 29 (Reporter) A passenger jet carrying 181 people erupted in flames after going off the runway and hitting a wall at an airport in South Korea's southwestern county of Muan on Sunday, likely leaving all but two dead, an official said.
The accident happened at 9:07 am, when the Jeju Air flight veered off the runway while landing and collided with a fence wall at Muan International Airport in the Muan county, South Jeolla Province, about 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul, Yonhap news agency reported.
Except the two rescued from the accident, all the missing people are presumed to have been killed, firefighting authorities said, adding that they were switching to search operations to recover bodies.
The authorities confirmed 85 deaths from the accident so far.
One passenger and one crew member -- both women -- were rescued shortly after the accident and were being treated at a hospital in Mokpo, media reported.
A total of 181, including six crew members, were aboard the plane that was returning from Bangkok, according to media reports.
Most of the passengers were Koreans, except for two Thai nationals.
The plane was almost completely destroyed by the explosion.
The South Jeolla authorities raised emergency alerts to the highest levels and deployed all available rescue and police personnel to the accident site.
Officials believe the landing gear failure, possibly due to a bird strike, may have caused the accident. They began an on-site investigation to determine the exact cause.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok arrived at the crash site around noon, instructing officials to make all-out efforts for search operations.
Choi also expressed deep condolences to the bereaved family members and promised to offer them all possible government assistance...////...