At least 179 individuals had been feared lifeless Sunday when a aircraft carrying 181 individuals from Thailand to South Korea crashed on arrival.
The Jeju Air aircraft smashed right into a barrier and burst into flames after its touchdown gears apparently did not deploy.
Authorities cited a chicken strike and adversarial climate circumstances as possible causes of the crash that flung passengers out of the aircraft and left it “almost completely destroyed,” in line with fireplace officers.
Video confirmed the Jeju Air aircraft from Bangkok touchdown on its stomach at Muan International Airport, skidding off the runway as smoke streamed out from the engines, earlier than crashing right into a wall and exploding in flames.
“Passengers were ejected from the aircraft after it collided with the wall, leaving little chance of survival,” an area fireplace official informed households at a briefing, in line with a press release launched by the hearth brigade.
“The plane is almost completely destroyed and identifying the deceased is proving difficult. The process is taking time as we locate and recover the remains,” he was quoted as saying.
Only two individuals had been rescued, each flight attendants and 179 individuals had been confirmed lifeless by mid-evening, the hearth division mentioned in a press release.
An AFP photographer noticed the burned-out wreckage of the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 plane on the runway at Muan – some 288 kilometers (about 190 miles) southwest of Seoul – as firefighters and emergency automobiles labored close by.
‘Mayday’
The Ministry of Land mentioned the accident occurred in minutes from 9:03 a.m. (0003 GMT) on Sunday throughout the touchdown of Jeju Air Flight 2216, which had 175 passengers, together with two Thai nationals, and 6 crew members onboard.
“It took approximately three minutes from the control tower’s mention of a bird strike warning to the aircraft’s attempt to land on the runway again,” it mentioned.
Two minutes earlier than the crash, the pilot issued a Mayday name, it added.
When requested if the accident occurred because of the runway being too brief – video reveals the aircraft coming off the tarmac and hitting a wall – the official mentioned this was possible not an element.
“The runway is 2,800 meters long and similar-sized aircraft have been operating on it without issues,” they mentioned.
“It is unlikely that the accident was caused by the length of the runway.”
Lee Jeong-hyun, chief of Muan fireplace station, mentioned throughout a briefing that the trigger was “presumed to be a bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions.”
“However, the exact cause will be announced following a joint investigation,” Lee mentioned.
Low-cost provider Jeju Air apologized and vowed to do all it may to assist.
“We sincerely apologize for causing concern,” the airline mentioned in a press release posted on its social media channels.
Boeing mentioned in a press release that it was in contact with Jeju Air and stood “ready to support them.”
Engulfed in flames
South Korea’s performing President Choi Sang-mok, who solely took workplace Friday, convened an emergency assembly with cupboard members to debate rescue operations and response earlier than heading to Muan, his workplace mentioned.
“I believe no words of consolation would suffice for the bereaved families who have suffered this tragedy,” mentioned Choi.
“The entire government is working closely together to manage the aftermath of the accident, dedicating all available resources, while making every effort to ensure thorough support for the bereaved families,” he added.
It is the primary deadly accident within the historical past of Jeju Air, one in every of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, which was arrange in 2005.
On Aug. 12, 2007, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air carrying 74 passengers got here off the runway on account of robust winds on the southern Busan-Gimhae airport, leading to a dozen accidents.
South Korea’s aviation business has a stable monitor file for security, consultants say.
Last yr, a passenger opened an emergency exit on an Asiana Airlines flight because it was getting ready to land, with the plane touchdown safely however a number of individuals had been hospitalized.
Several deadly aviation accidents have occurred globally on account of chicken strikes, which might trigger a lack of energy if the animals are sucked into the air intakes.
Source: www.dailysabah.com