62 killed in fiery plane crash in South Korea, officials say toll likely to rise

A Jeju Air flight carrying 181 people crashed at South Korea’s Muan International Airport on Sunday morning, killing at least 62 and leaving two others critically injured, according to Yonhap news agency.

The plane, a Boeing 737-800 jet which originated from Bangkok in Thailand, veered off the runway, apparently with its landing gear still closed, and struck a concrete fence while attempting to land at 9:07 a.m. local time at the southwestern coastal airport.

The aircraft burst into flames on impact, with smoke and fire engulfing parts of the plane, as shown in images and videos shared on social media.

“There were 175 passengers and six crew members aboard the plane,” Yonhap reported, adding that 173 passengers were South Koreans and two were Thai nationals.

Emergency responders have recovered three survivors — two passengers and a crew member — and the search for additional victims is ongoing. Authorities were working to rescue people in the tail section, reported news agency Reuters citing an airport official.

According to news agency AFP, a response team officer at the local fire department warned that “the tally could rise due to the critically injured”.

Acting President Choi Sung-mok, who assumed leadership on Friday amidst massive political upheaval, directed government agencies to prioritise rescue efforts.

This marks the first major incident at Muan International Airport, a crucial regional hub in South Jeolla province. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash, reported Yonhap. Officials suspect a landing gear failure, possibly due to a bird strike, may have caused the accident.

Suspended president Yoon Suk Yeol’s office said his chief secretary will preside over an emergency meeting between senior presidential staff later on Sunday to discuss the crash, reported AP.

The incident follows a turbulent week for global aviation. On December 25, an Azerbaijan Airlines jet crash-landed near Aktau in Kazakhstan, killing 38 of the 67 on board.

The plane is believed to have come under fire from Russian air defence en route to the Chechen capital of Grozny – forcing it to divert. Russian President Vladimir Putin later apologised to his Azerbaijani counterpart over the downing of the commercial airliner in Russian airspace.