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Witnesses to the fatal plane crash in South Korea on Sunday said they noticed flames in the plane’s engine and heard explosions, according to the report.
AND Flight by Jeju Air skidded off the runway at Muan International Airport in the city of Muan, about 290 miles south of Seoul, and crashed into a concrete barrier, killing at least 176 people, the Associated Press reported, citing the National Fire Agency (NFA).
Authorities are investigating a potential landing gear failure that could have resulted from a collision with a bird that may have caused the crash, according to the Yonhap news agency.
The videos show the plane trying to land without the landing gear extended.
PLANE VERSES OFF RUNWAY AT SOUTH KOREA AIRPORT AND CRASHES, AT LEAST 176 KILLED: REPORTS
Firefighters carry out extinguishing operations on a runaway plane at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on December 29, 2024. (Yonhap via REUTERS)
There were 181 people on board the flight when the collision occurred at around 9:03 a.m. local time. Emergency personnel pulled two crew members to safety, who medical officials say are conscious and not in danger, while three people are missing.
South Korea’s Ministry of Transport said it was a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 that was returning from Bangkok, Thailand.
“We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding flight 2216 and are ready to support them,” Boeing said in a statement. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families who have lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”
One witness, Yoo Jae-yong (41), who was staying in a rented house near the airport, said he saw a spark on the right wing of the plane before the incident, Yonhap news agency reports.
“I told my family there was a problem with the plane when I heard a loud explosion,” Yoo said.
Firefighters carry out extinguishing operations on a runaway plane at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on December 29, 2024. (Yonhap via REUTERS)
Another witness, identified only by his surname, Cho, told the newspaper that he was walking 4.5 kilometers, or about 2.8 miles, from the airport when the plane crashed into a concrete wall at the end of the runway.
“I saw the plane coming down and thought it was going to land when I noticed a flash of light,” Cho said. – Then there was a loud bang followed by smoke in the air, and then I heard a series of explosions.
Kim Yong-cheol, 70, said the plane was unable to land on the first attempt and had to circle around to try again before the crash.
Kim said he heard the sound of “metal scraping” twice about five minutes before the crash. He also said he looked up at the sky and watched the plane climb after failing to land before hearing a “loud explosion” and noticing “black smoke billowing into the sky”.
This screenshot from video footage taken near Muan International Airport shows black smoke billowing into the air from the airport in Muan, South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on December 29, 2024. (Yonhap via REUTERS)
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A 50-year-old witness, identified by his surname Jung, was fishing nearby when he said he noticed a flock of birds collide with the plane, resulting in a fire in the right engine.
“As the plane was landing on the runway, it hit a flock of birds approaching from the opposite direction,” he said. “I heard two or three thuds like birds being sucked into the engine before I saw flames coming out of the starboard engine.”
Kerati Kijmanawat, director of Thailand’s airports, said in a statement that the plane took off from Suvarnabhumi Airport with no reports of abnormal conditions in the aircraft or on the runway.
Jeju Air said in a statement that it expresses its “deepest apologies” for the accident and will do “its utmost to resolve the consequences of the accident.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
