South Korea plane
crash: Reportedly, only two people – a man and a woman – were found alive. They
are undergoing treatment.
A catastrophic plane
crash at Muan International Airport in South Korea reportedly
resulted in the death of all passengers, barring two. According to the emergency officer, while landing
at the airport in the southern South Korean city, the aircraft, returning from
Thailand's Bangkok, caught fire. A video of the incident showing the plane
skidding down the runway before slamming into a wall and exploding has surfaced
online. South Korea plane crash: Firefighters and rescue personnel work near
the wreckage of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 series aircraft. (AFP)
According to Reuters, News1 agency reported that a passenger on the
aircraft texted a relative to say that a bird was stuck in the plane's wing.
The person’s final words were reportedly, "Should I say my last
words?"
”
The fire department issued a statement regarding
the crash that claimed hundreds of lives.
The department said, “The plane is almost completely destroyed, and identifying
the deceased is proving difficult. The process is taking time as we locate and
recover the remains.”
Reuters reported that, according to ministry data,
it was one of the deadliest air accidents involving a South Korean airline in
nearly three decades.
CEO Kim E-bae of the airline whose plane crashed
issued an official statement on the company website. “First, we bow our heads
in apology to everyone who has trusted Jeju Air. At approximately 9:03 AM on 29
December, flight 7C2216 from Bangkok to Muan caught fire while landing at Muan
International Airport. Above all, we express our deepest condolences and
apologies to the families of the passengers who lost their lives in this
accident. At present, the cause of the accident is difficult to determine, and
we must await the official investigation results from the relevant government
agencies,” the CEO said in the statement.
“Regardless of the cause, as CEO, I feel profound responsibility for
this incident. Jeju Air will do everything possible to manage this accident
promptly and support the families of those aboard. We will also do our utmost
to determine the cause of the accident in cooperation with the government. Once again,
we pray for those who lost their lives in this accident and offer our deepest
apologies to their bereaved families,” the statement further said.