Why did the South Korean Jeju Air flight crash, killing 179? Experts question bird strike claims
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Aviation experts have questioned how a collision with birds could have been the sole cause of such a disaster. All but two of the 181 people aboard Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 died on Sunday morning after the plane embarked on an unsuccessful emergency landing at South Korea’s Maun International Airport. It had flown in from the Thai capital of Bangkok, carrying dozens of Christmas holidaymakers.
![[A relative of the Jeju Air plane crash cries as she awaits information about her loved ones]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/29/13/SEI234451724.jpg)
Among the passengers were five children under the age of 10, including a three year old. Horrifying footage showed the plane skidding across the runway before colliding with a brick wall and bursting into flames. The only two survivors were two crew members who had been seated at the back of the plane.
For the latest on the plane crash investigation - click here to visit our blog. The incident resulted in the highest number of fatalities from a plane crash on South Korean soil in the country’s history. The country is otherwise known to have had a strong flight safety record over the last two decades.
“Why didn’t fire tenders lay foam on the runway? Why weren’t they in attendance when the plane touched down? And why did the aircraft touch down so far down the runway? And why was there a brick wall at the end of the runway?” said Airline News editor Geoffrey Thomas.
South Korean officials said they were investigating the cause of the crash, including a possible bird strike, as it emerged that air traffic controllers had warned the pilots of the risk of a collision just three minutes before the plane crashed into the runway. A minute after the warning, the pilots issued a mayday.
