The tragic incident occurred early Sunday morning when the aircraft collided with a wall at Muan International Airport and exploded after belly landing. The Jeju Air flight, which was coming from Bangkok, was attempting to land at the airport when it veered off the runway.
Local fire officials and aviation experts suspect a landing gear malfunction may have contributed to the crash.
Two crew members were rescued from the wreckage, but rescuers have cautioned that few survivors are expected to be found due to the severity of the fire.
The Jeju Air jetliner was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, all South Korean except for two Thai nationals. Apart from the two rescued crew members, the remaining 179 people on board are presumed dead.
A Jeju Air spokesperson stated, “We will spare no effort to respond to the accident. We are currently working to determine the exact cause and details of the situation.” The airline also noted that the aircraft had been in operation for 15 years without any previous accidents.
South Korean authorities have confirmed 96 deaths based on the bodies they have been able to identify.
“We deeply apologize to all those affected by the incident at Muan Airport. We will make every effort to resolve the situation and sincerely regret the distress caused,” Jeju Air said in a statement on its website.
Boeing has expressed condolences to the families of the victims and confirmed it is in contact with Jeju Air. The plane involved in the crash, Jeju Air flight 2216 from Bangkok, was a Boeing 737-800.
“We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding Flight 2216 and stand ready to support them,” Boeing said in a brief statement. “Our deepest condolences go out to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”
Boeing, which has faced challenges in recent years, including the two fatal 737 Max crashes, has been under scrutiny for its role in those incidents, for which it admitted to deceiving the Federal Aviation Administration during the aircraft’s certification process.
