South Korean plane crash: Bird strike suspected as 124 killed in country’s deadliest air disaster in decades
Share:
A passenger jet crashed and burst into flames at a South Korean airport killing at least 124 people in the country's deadliest air disaster for nearly three decades. Dramatic footage showed the Jeju Air Boeing 737 skidding down the runway without landing gear before smashing into a wall at Muan International Airport in a massive explosion.
![[SKOREA-AVIATION-ACCIDENT]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2024/12/29/7/53/SKOREA-AVIATION-ACCIDENT-l2iucv6l.jpeg?quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
Only two crew members survived after being pulled from the tail section of the wreckage which fire chief Lee Jung-hyun said was barely recognisable. "Only the tail part retains a little bit of shape and the rest of the plane looks almost impossible to recognise," he told reporters.
![[Plane Crash Kills Many In South Korea]](https://static.standard.co.uk/2024/12/29/7/33/Plane-Crash-Kills-Many-In-South-Korea-77dhiprs.jpeg?quality=75&auto=webp&width=960)
The flight from Bangkok was carrying 181 passengers and crew when it attempted to land shortly after 9am local time on Sunday. Moments before the crash a passenger texted a relative saying a bird was stuck in the wing followed by the chilling message: "Should I say my last words?".
Investigators are examining whether a bird strike caused the landing gear to fail. The control tower had issued a bird strike warning shortly before the pilots declared mayday. Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae apologised for the disaster and promised to support bereaved families. The budget airline confirmed the 14-year-old aircraft had no history of accidents or technical issues.
