Muan Airport Disaster: 179 Dead in Jeju Air Flight Crash, Two Survive

In a heartbreaking incident on Sunday morning, a Jeju Air flight travelling from Bangkok crashed during an emergency landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea. Authorities have confirmed that out of the 181 people on board, only two survivors—a passenger and a crew member—have been rescued. The remaining 179 are presumed dead.

Rescue teams are continuing their search through the wreckage, where it is feared more bodies are trapped inside the fuselage. The two survivors, found in the tail section of the Boeing 737-800, are receiving medical care at a nearby hospital.

The aircraft was attempting a belly landing around 9:03 AM local time when it suffered a failure in its landing gear, which reportedly failed to deploy. Witnesses at the scene described hearing loud "bang" noises before the plane struck the airport's perimeter wall, causing it to break into two pieces and burst into flames.

Local media, including MBC, aired footage suggesting a potential bird strike as the plane descended, though investigations are still ongoing. This possible factor adds another layer of mystery to the tragic event.

If the death toll is confirmed, this will be South Korea’s deadliest domestic civil aviation disaster, surpassing previous incidents, including the 1993 Asiana Airlines crash in Mokpo, which killed 68, and the 2002 Air China crash near Gimhae Airport, which claimed 129 lives out of 166 passengers.

This crash, if confirmed, would also mark the first major fatality involving a low-cost carrier in South Korea's history, according to the JoongAng Ilbo newspaper.

Also Read: Jeju Air Plane Crash in South Korea Claims 47 Lives; Investigation Underway