The grieving families of the victims involved in a South Korean plane crash have issued public statements as 179 out of 181 people are confirmed dead.
A plane crash at Muan International Airport in South Korea has killed 179 people. Credit: S3studio / Getty
The horrific accident, which took place on Sunday (December 29) at 9:03AM local time, occurred after a Jeju Air flight tried to land at Muan International Airport after taking off from Suvarnabhumi Airport near Bangkok, Thailand.
The Boeing 737-800 passenger aircraft had 181 people on board, including six crew members, NBC News reported.
According to Al Jazeera, the National Fire Agency confirmed that 179 passengers – 85 women, 84 men, and 10 others whose genders weren’t immediately identifiable – have been tragically killed. Two survivors were pulled from the tail end of the wreckage with moderate injuries.
179 people were killed in a plane crash at a South Korean airport. Credit: NurPhoto / Getty
While the cause of the plane crash is still under investigation, it’s been reported that the aircraft came into “contact with birds, resulting in malfunctioning landing gear” per the outlet.
Harrowing footage from the airport captures the terrifying moment the plane attempted to land, only to skid off the runway and collide with a wall, erupting in flames.
Per The Independent, the transport ministry disclosed that air traffic controllers warned the pilots of the flight about bird strike risks just three minutes before the ill-fated aircraft attempted to land.
The pilot then declared a mayday one minute later before trying to land the plane.
In the aftermath of the devastating plane crash, several family members of the victims have publicly shared their grief and expressed their sorrow.
One man named Maeng Gi-su, 78, revealed that his nephew and his nephew’s two sons had been on the flight. They were returning from a holiday in celebration of the youngest son’s college entrance exams being over.
“I can’t believe the entire family has just disappeared. My heart aches so much,” he said, cited by BBC.
The cousin of a Thai passenger, 49-year-old Jongluk Doungmanee, who was on board the fatal Jeju Air flight told the publication: “I was shocked, I had goosebumps. I couldn’t believe it.”
“When the news said one of the victims was from Udon Thani, I was even more surprised,” she added.
The Boeing 737-800 flight had 181 people on board, including six crew members, and was arriving from Bangkok, Thailand. Credit: Handout / Getty
The government of South Korea has announced a national mourning period of seven days, with memorial altars to be set up nationwide.
The Yonhap news agency announced that the runway will remain closed until New Year’s Day as teams analyze the wreckage, per BBC News.
Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.
