Plane crashes while landing at South Korea airport

COLOMBO ( News 1st) - South Korea's transport ministry said, the Jeju Air, flight 7C2216, arriving from the Thai capital Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew on board, was attempting to land shortly after 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) at the airport in the south of the country.

The twin-engine Boeing 737-800 was seen in video broadcast on local media skidding down the runway with no apparent landing gear before slamming into a wall in an explosion of flames and debris. Other photos showed smoke and fire engulfing parts of the plane. 


Thai government authorities have confirmed that here were two Thai nationals on board in addition to the 173 South Koreans on board the flight from Bangkok.

Kim E-bae, CEO of Jeju Air, expressed deep condolences and issued a formal apology following the tragic plane crash at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province

In a press conference , Kim said,“Regardless of the cause of the accident, as the CEO, I fully acknowledge my responsibility. Once again, I pray for the repose of the passengers who lost their lives and extend my heartfelt apologies to the bereaved families.”

Kim said, “At this point, it is difficult to determine the cause of the accident. We must wait for the official investigation report from the relevant government agencies.” He pledged, “We will do our utmost to quickly address the aftermath, support the families of those involved, and cooperate fully with the government to uncover the cause of this tragedy.”

It is the deadliest air accident ever on South Korean soil, and the worst involving a South Korean airline in nearly three decades, according to ministry data.