December 30, 2024 – The tragic South Korea plane crash yesterday, December 29, at 9:00 am local time, has left the world in shock with families of passengers finding it difficult to come to terms with the loss of loved ones. Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 from Bangkok to South Korea was carrying 175 passengers and six crew when it crashed at Muan International Airport killing 179 people.

The flight had taken off from Bangkok and was trying to land in Muan, a town about 290 kms south of national capital Seoul. The passengers, in ages ranging from three to 78, were all Korean citizens except for two who were Thai.

Two survivors were both flight attendants who were brought out from the tail end of the flight. They were identified as 32-year-old Lee and 25-year-old Kwon. Both are in shock, disoriented and receiving treatment.

While investigations have begun into what caused the aircraft to crash, it will take some weeks before the final details will be established. The aircraft’s two black boxes have been recovered as also the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. Initial probe, however, revealed that the plane’s landing gear failed to deploy causing the aircraft to land on its belly.

Possible bird strike causing an engine to explode is the reason being given with the South Korean Transport Ministry saying that the airport’s control tower had warned the plane about a bird strike before the crash. In the final minutes of Flight 7C2216, as provided by the Transport Ministry, the pilot had reported bird strike, declared emergency - “Mayday Mayday Mayday” and “Bird strike, bird strike, go-around.” It did not land on the first attempt and came back and crash-landed in the second attempt.

Questions are being raised whether bird strike indeed was the cause for the crash. Several technical experts have said that a bird strike could not have led to the failure of the landing gear to deploy.

An aviation expert said that emergency services were usually ready for a belly landing so why did the aircraft crash. The plane was seen going too fast when it landed. The flaps were not open even if the landing gear had not deployed.

Another aviation expert told the media that “A lot of things about this tragedy don’t make sense.”

Visuals from the airport show the aircraft touching down on its belly. It skidded down the runway and crashed into a wall before erupting into flames.

The crash is being called South Korea’s worst since 1997 when a Korean Air jet with 254 onboard crashed into a hill in Guam killing 229 people. Guam is a US terriroty in western Pacific. Acting President Choi Sang-mok has ordered an emergency safety inspection of the entire airline operation system. United States too  is sending a team of investigators to South Korea to assist local experts to ascertain the cause of the Jeju Air plane to crash.