The accident occurred in connection with the plane, which came from Bangkok, attempting to land just after 9 am on Sunday morning, local time, in Muan in southern South Korea. The plane tried to make an emergency landing after the first landing attempt failed. The plane was also unable to deploy its landing gear, which is believed to be due to a collision with birds.
The plane, a Boeing 737-800, crashed into a wall at high speed.
The air traffic control tower issued a warning for bird collision at 8:57. One minute later, the plane sent out the distress signal "mayday". Five minutes after that, the crash occurred, according to the news agency Yonhap.
Photos showed large flames and thick, black smoke rising from the plane.
"Passengers were thrown out of the plane after it collided with the wall, making the chance of survival small," says the local rescue service.
175 passengers and 6 crew members were on the plane – all but two have been confirmed dead. The survivors were crew members and had no serious injuries when they were rescued.
Koreans and Thais
The plane is completely destroyed, and only its rear section remains. Both of the plane's so-called black boxes have been found, according to the authorities.
The national police agency has sent nearly 170 forensic investigators to help identify the victims.
The plane belonged to the South Korean low-cost carrier Jeju Air, and most passengers were Koreans. Two people were Thai nationals.
The plane had been in operation for 15 years without any accident history, according to the company.
President on site
The manufacturer, American Boeing, has contacted the airline and is ready to provide support, the company writes on X.
South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-Mok is on site in Muan. He has convened a crisis meeting with the government and promises full support to the bereaved families.
No comforting words will be enough for the families who have been affected by such a tragedy, he says.
Choi became acting president just a few days ago, in the midst of South Korea's ongoing political crisis. The government has declared Muan a disaster area to support the victims' families and has declared seven days of national mourning.
