By Fiona McLaughlin
A Jeju Air passenger plane crashed Sunday at a South Korean airport after its landing gear malfunctioned, leaving at least 179 people dead.
The plane, which was traveling from Bangkok to Muan, had an issue with its landing gear causing it to veer off the runway, hit a fence and catch on fire, the Associated Press (AP) reported, citing local reports.
The Boeing 737-800 was believed to be carrying 175 passengers and six crew members onboard. At least 179 people have died and two have survived, according to Reuters. “Only the tail part retains a little bit of shape, and the rest of (the plane) looks almost impossible to recognize,” Muan fire chief Lee Jung-hyun said during a press briefing, according to the outlet.
Several helicopters and 32 fire trucks were reportedly deployed in order to contain the fire. (RELATED: Plane Crashes Into Arizona Airport Fence And Hits Car, Killing Five People).
Videos circulating on social media appear to show the plane skidding across the ground as it appears to collide with a fence, immediately bursting into flames. Debris can be seen flying as the aircraft made contact with the fence.
BREAKING: Video shows crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in South Korea. 181 people on board pic.twitter.com/9rQUC0Yxt8
— BNO News (@BNONews) December 29, 2024
Additional videos show large black clouds of smoke filling the air around the crash site.
A plane with 181 people on board has crashed in South Korea.
The first footage from the site of the Jeju Air Flight 2216 crash in South Korea shows 181 people on board, with 23 fatalities reported so far. pic.twitter.com/K3ajezxvwh
— ZAMZAM NEWS (@zamzamafg) December 29, 2024
Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, South Korea’s acting president amidst the country’s political crisis, instructed the government to mobilize all personnel and equipment available to rescue those involved in the crash, the NYT reported.
The incident comes days after an Azerbaijan Airlines plane crashed, killing 38 people and leaving 29 survivors, according to CBS News.
