Jeju Air Flight Crashes on Landing at Muan Airport; 23 Casualties Reported

Dec 29, 2024, 12:52 AM

At 9:07 AM local time, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 carrying 175 passengers and six crew members veered off the runway and crashed into a fence during landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea's southwest. The aircraft, operating as Flight 2216 from Bangkok to Muan, is suspected to have experienced a landing gear failure possibly due to a bird strike. Initial firefighting efforts have extinguished the blaze, and rescue operations are underway, focusing on the tail section where passengers are being extracted. Authorities report multiple casualties, with at least 23 people confirmed dead or injured. The acting interior minister has ordered all-out efforts to rescue passengers at the crash site. The airport has declared an emergency, and investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing.