Warning: This article contains graphic images, video and description which some readers may find distressing
A doctor who has been treating one of the survivors of the South Korea plane crash has spoken about what he said when he woke from the devastating incident.
At around 9:03am local time on Sunday (December 29), a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet crash landed at Muan International Airport in South Korea, about 180 miles south of Seoul.
As investigations continue into the crash, it has been confirmed that 179 out of a total of 181 people on board the Jeju Air Flight 2216 have been declared dead in what is South Korea’s worst domestic civil aviation disaster ever.
As authorities try to make sense of what happened, it’s believed that the pilot was forced to make a crash landing at the Muan International Airport when the landing gear of the aircraft failed to deploy.
Footage from the airport showed the plane skidding across the runway without its landing gear open before it collided with the wall and burst into flames.
Director of the Aviation Policy Division at South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Joo Jong-wan said, as per NBC News, that the pilot ‘declared mayday after issuing the bird strike alert’.
A bird strike is when a plane collides with a bird mid-flight. While the majority have little impact on the aircraft, some can cause significant damage to the engine of a plane.
Investigations into the crash are ongoing (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
Following the alert, it is reported that the plane was cleared to land, but in the opposite direction.
Since the devastating incident, it has been confirmed that out of 181 passengers and crew on the flight, 179 sadly died.
There are two survivors of the crash, both crew members, who are now being treated for their injuries at local hospitals.
According to news agency Yonhap, one survivor – a 33-year-old flight attendant – has reportedly told doctors that he ‘woke up and was rescued’.
The news agency quoted a hospital director named Ju Woong who is reported as saying: “He’s fully able to communicate. There’s no indication yet of memory loss or such.”
The crash occurred at around 9:03am local time on December 29 (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
As news continues to emerge regarding the circumstances leading up to the crash, according to local media in South Korea, one passenger onboard the flight sent a text to a family member, where they claimed a bird was ‘stuck in the wing’ which was supposedly stopping the plane from landing.
“Should I leave my last words,” the passenger allegedly wrote.
After this message, the relative said that they did not hear from the passenger again.
Topics: News, World News, Jeju Air, Health
A plane crash at an international airport in South Korea has killed a total of 179 people; here’s everything we know so far.
When and where did the Jeju Air plane crash take place?
The crash and subsequent fire occurred at the Muan International Airport, located in southwestern South Korea approximately 180 miles (290km) south of Seoul.
Footage from the airport shows the plane sliding along the runway before colliding straight into a concrete wall, where the aircraft was destroyed and came to a stop as a fire broke out.
The incident took place at 9:03am local time today (December 29), as the Jeju Air flight came in to land after journeying from Bangkok, Thailand.
Why did the plane crash?
Authorities have shared some theories as to why the Boeing 737-800 crashed, including the possibility of a bird strike.
Prior to the crash, the control tower at Muan International Airport had warned the Jeju Air pilot of a bird strike, and footage aired by a local broadcaster appears to show a strike as the plane was descending.
A witness to the crash, 70-year-old Kim Yong-cheol, told the Yonhap News Agency that he heard the sound of ‘metallic scraping’ twice about five minutes before the crash.
Authorities are also looking into the possibility that weather conditions may have played a role in the incident.
The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, but a senior Transport Ministry official has said authorities have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder to look at data surrounding the crash.
However, as some of the data is said to have been damaged in the crash, it could take up to a month to decode.
The plane was destroyed in the collision (SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
What happened in the moments before the crash?
Video footage shows the plane sliding along the runway on its belly, with no wheels to support it as it came in to land.
This is believed to be the second attempt the pilot made at landing after the plane’s landing gear failed to lower as it should have.
According to The Independent, a timeline of the minutes before the plane struck the wall has now come to light.
8:57am – The control tower at Muan International Airport issues a warning over possible bird strikes
8:58am – The Jeju Air pilot sends a ‘Mayday’ distress signal
9:00am – The plane attempts to land, but the landing gear is not deployed
9:03am – The plane crash-lands and collides into the concrete wall
The plane skidded along the runway before the crash (MBC News)
Who was on board?
A total of 181 people were on the plane when the collision took place; six crew members and 175 passengers. Rescuers managed to save two members of the crew, but the remaining 179 people have been declared dead.
Among the deceased are five children under the age of 10, and an older passenger who was 78 years old. Most passengers were South Koreans, though there were also two Thai women on board, Thai authorities confirmed.
Some of the families of the deceased have since spoken out and in honor of the victims, the South Korean government has declared a period of national mourning in the country for the next seven days.
One of the two survivors has spoken out after he was taken to hospital, and said that he had already been rescued when he woke up.
Hospital director Ju Woong told the Yonhap News Agency: “He’s fully able to communicate. There’s no indication yet of memory loss or such.”
The survivor suffered multiple fractures in the crash and is now receiving special care due to the risk of after-effects.
Recovery efforts began immediately after the crash (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
What have Jeju Air and Boeing said?
The president of Jeju Air, Kim E-bae, addressed the crash in a televised news conference and said that he takes ‘full responsibility’ for what happened.
He noted the company had not noticed any mechanical problems with the plane prior to the incident, and that he would wait for the results of government investigations to determine the cause of the crash.
Song Kyung-hoon, the head of Jeju Air’s management team, has added that the crash was not due to ‘any maintenance issues’.
“There are areas we have to investigate further by determining the exact cause of the crash,” he said, adding that the company’s insurance plan should be able to support the victims of those involved and their families.
In a statement on Twitter, Boeing said it is in contact with Jeju Air about the crash and ‘stand ready to support them’.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew,” the company added.
Featured Image Credit: SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images/Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
Topics: World News, Jeju Air
Warning: This article contains graphic images, video and description which some readers may find distressing
A devastating plane crash in South Korea left 179 out of 181 onboard dead and some of the victims’ loved ones are speaking out.
Earlier today (December 29) shortly after 9:00 am local time, a Jeju Air Flight 2216 – a Boeing 737-800 passenger aircraft – tried to land at Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Korea after taking off from Suvarnabhumi Airport near Bangkok, Thailand at around 2:00 am local time.
The aircraft ended up crashing following an emergency landing, killing 179 out of 181 onboard.
Harrowing footage from the airport shows the moment the passenger plane attempts to land on the runway, with it ending up skidding across and colliding with a wall, later bursting into smoke and flames.
It’s reported the front landing gear of the plane failed to deploy, forcing the pilot to make a crash landing.
Director of the Aviation Policy Division at South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Joo Jong-wan said, as per NBC News, the pilot ‘declared mayday after issuing the bird strike alert’.
An investigation into the tragedy is still underway, with the crash marking South Korea’s worst domestic civil aviation disaster in history.
At the time of writing, recovery efforts are ongoing and the BBC quotes Yonhap news agency as stating the runway will remain closed until New Year’s Day as teams analyse the wreckage.
Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 flight crashed on the morning of December 29 ( JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
It’s reported the crash has taken the lives of 179 people out of the 181 passengers and members of crew onboard. The two survivors were rushed to hospital and now, loved ones of some of the victims have spoken out.
Maeng Gi-su’s nephew and his nephew’s two sons had been onboard the flight, returning from a holiday in celebration of the youngest son’s college entrance exams being over.
The 78-year-old told the BBC: “I can’t believe the entire family has just disappeared. My heart aches so much.”
A cousin of another passenger onboard the flight told the BBC she had ‘goosebumps’ when she heard of the crash.
“I couldn’t believe it… when the news said one of the victims was from Udon Thani, I was even more surprised,” she said.
Recovery efforts are ongoing (JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images)
The government of South Korea has announced a national mourning period of seven days.
In a statement, Boeing said: “We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding flight 2216 and stand ready to support them. We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”
Jeju Air has a banner at the top of its website which reads: “We deeply apologize to all those affected by the incident. We will make every effort to resolve the situation. We sincerely regret the distress caused.”
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.
Featured Image Credit: Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images / BBC
Topics: Travel, World News, Jeju Air
Warning: This article contains graphic images, video and description which some readers may find distressing
A passenger onboard the flight that crashed in South Korea sent a heartbreaking message moments before the fatal accident.
It has been confirmed that 179 out of a total of 181 people on board the Jeju Air Flight 2216 have been declared dead in what is South Korea’s worst domestic civil aviation disaster ever.
A 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet crash landed at Muan International Airport, about 180 miles south of Seoul, at around 9:03am local time on Sunday (December 29).
While it is not clear exactly what happened to cause the incident, it’s reported that the front landing gear of the plane failed to deploy, forcing the pilot to make a crash landing.
Footage from the airport showed the plane skidding across the runway without its landing gear open before it collided with the wall and burst into flames.
Director of the Aviation Policy Division at South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Joo Jong-wan said, as per NBC News, that the pilot ‘declared mayday after issuing the bird strike alert’.
It is also reported that the pilot was cleared to land from the opposite direction.
All of the plane’s 175 passengers died in the crash, along with four members of crew.
Two flight staff have survived the incident and are in hospital being treated for their injuries. It is reported that they are conscious.
The crash occurred at around 9:03am local time on December 29 (Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
“I woke up and was rescued,” one of the survivors, named Lee, has said, according to the director of Seoul National University Hospital, where he is being treated.
According to local media in South Korea, one passenger onboard the flight sent a text to a family member, where they claimed a bird was ‘stuck in the wing’ which was supposedly stopping the plane from landing.
“Should I leave my last words,” the passenger allegedly wrote. After this message, the relative said that they did not hear from the passenger again.
Devastated family members have been speaking out following the crash.
Maeng Gi-su’s nephew and his nephew’s two sons had been onboard the flight, returning from a holiday in celebration of the youngest son’s college entrance exams being over.
Investigations into the crash are still ongoing (Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The 78-year-old told the BBC: “I can’t believe the entire family has just disappeared. My heart aches so much.”
A cousin of another passenger onboard the flight told the BBC that she had ‘goosebumps’ when she heard of the crash.
“I couldn’t believe it… when the news said one of the victims was from Udon Thani, I was even more surprised.” she said.
The government of South Korea has announced a national mourning period of seven days.
Jeju Air has a black banner at the top of its website which reads: “We deeply apologize to all those affected by the incident. We will make every effort to resolve the situation.
“We sincerely regret the distress caused.”
Featured Image Credit: Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images / Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images
Topics: News, Travel, World News, Jeju Ai
Footage caught at an airport in South Korea shows the moments leading up to a plane crash which killed an estimated 167 people.
A total of 181 passengers and crew members were on board the Jeju Air plane when it came in to land at 9.03am local time at Muan Airport, about 180 miles (290km) south of Seoul, after traveling from Bangkok, Thailand today (December 29).
According to local media, the Boeing 737-800 jet was making its second attempt at returning to the ground after its landing gear failed to open, forcing it to make a crash landing.
As the plane approached the ground, it veered off the runway and crashed into a concrete wall before bursting into flames.
A number of helicopters as well as 32 firetrucks responded to the incident, along with approximately 1,560 firefighters, police officers, soldiers and other officials.
Rescue workers have been attempting to pull people from the wreckage of the plane and two crew members have been rescued, but firefighters have said that other missing people are now presumed to have been killed.
Those confirmed dead include 79 women, 77 men and 11 others whose genders were not immediately identifiable, though the death toll is expected to rise as the recovery efforts continue.
There were 181 people on board the plane (SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
South Korea’s transport ministry has since stated that the airport’s control tower warned the plane of a bird strike prior to the crash, and gave the pilot permission to land in a different area.
News1 has also reported that a passenger on board texted one of their relatives prior to the crash to say a bird had become stuck in the wing of the plane.
As per the outlet, their last message read: “Should I say my last words?”
A plane with 181 people on board has crashed in South Korea. The first footage from the site of the Jeju Air Flight 2216 crash in South Korea shows 181 people on board, with 23 fatalities reported so far.
Authorities have now retrieved data from the plane’s black box to help offer insight into what happened when the plane went down, Sky News reports. According to Senior Transport Ministry official Joo Jong-wan, officials are still looking for the cockpit voice recording device.
Images from the site show smoke and flames engulfing the plane, which was completely destroyed in the incident. Officials have confirmed the fire has since been extinguished, but Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the Muan fire station, said during a televised briefing that the tail of the plane was the only recognizable part of the aircraft after the crash.
