At Least 167 Dead After Plane Skids Off Runway And Bursts Into Flames [WATCH]

A tragic accident involving a Jeju Air flight has left at least 167 people dead after the aircraft skidded off a runway and collided with a concrete fence in South Korea on Sunday.

The incident, which occurred at Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, is under investigation, with reports indicating that the cause may have been a malfunction with the plane’s landing gear.

Jeju Air 737-800 has crashed after overrunning the runway at Muan International Airport, South Korea.

The aircraft overran runway 01 and was destroyed when it collided with a ground obstacle, the aircraft disintegrated and burst into flames. The accident was caused by a landing… pic.twitter.com/d3hJtwD0Hm

— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) December 29, 2024

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The flight, a Boeing 737-800, was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members at the time of the crash.

The flight had been returning to South Korea from Thailand. The crash occurred at 9:07 a.m. local time when the plane was attempting to land.

According to the South Korean National Fire Agency (NFA), the aircraft’s front landing gear failed to deploy properly, leading to the plane skidding off the runway and slamming into a concrete fence.

Emergency responders were able to rescue two people, both crew members, who were conscious after the crash.

However, the devastating crash resulted in a significant loss of life, with at least 167 people confirmed dead.

Local news reports, citing the Yonhap News Agency, indicated that the aircraft’s landing gear failure was likely the primary cause of the accident.

BREAKING: New video shows moment Boeing 737-800 plane carrying 181 people onboard crashes at Muan International Airport in South Korea.
pic.twitter.com/konxWBpnWy

— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) December 29, 2024

Smoke was seen rising from the plane, as images shared by local media showed the wreckage shortly after the crash.

Emergency crews worked quickly to assess the scene and search for any survivors, though few were found.

Muan International Airport, located roughly 180 miles south of Seoul, was the site of the crash.

The flight had been en route back to South Korea after departing from Thailand, with the NFA and other authorities quickly launching an investigation into the cause of the tragedy.

A senior official from the South Korean Ministry of Transport confirmed that investigators had retrieved the flight data recorder from the plane’s black box.

However, crews were still in the process of searching for the cockpit voice recorder, which could provide more insights into the events leading up to the crash.

Jeju Air, a low-cost airline based in South Korea, has not yet released an official statement on the incident.

However, the company is expected to cooperate with authorities as the investigation unfolds.

The crash at Muan International Airport is the latest in a series of airline tragedies in recent years, and it has raised questions about the safety of low-cost carriers, which typically operate with fewer resources than major international airlines.

Investigators will likely look into the maintenance and operational history of the aircraft, as well as whether any mechanical issues or human errors contributed to the fatal crash.

At this time, authorities have not confirmed whether the malfunctioning landing gear was linked to any previous issues with the aircraft or if it was a one-time failure.

The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, with both domestic and international experts likely to be involved in the probe.

As the recovery efforts continue and the investigation progresses, the tragedy at Muan International Airport is expected to garner more attention both in South Korea and internationally.

For now, the focus remains on providing support for the families of the victims and determining the factors that led to such a catastrophic event.

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