Plane Crashes While Trying To Land In South Korea Killing Nearly Everyone On Board

Dozens of people were killed when a Boeing 737-800 exploded on Sunday in South Korea after the plane skidded off a runway and slammed into concrete wall.

The South Korean Jeju Air flight had taken off from Bangkok and was landing at Muan International Airport at approximately 9 a.m. local time when the incident unfolded.

Out of the 181 people who were on board, including passengers and crew, at least 179 people were killed.

Footage of the crash showed that the plane’s landing gear failed to deploy as it skidded down the runway upon landing.

Horrifying footage emerging of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 (not a Max) with 175 onboard involved in a crash at Muan International Airport in South Korea — video shows the aircraft attempting a ‘belly landing’ (without its landing gear extended) before impacting the perimeter wall pic.twitter.com/C3JCUz8Iw8

— Alex Macheras (@AlexInAir) December 29, 2024

The Associated Press reported that South Korean Transport Ministry officials indicated that communications showed that the airport control tower warned the plane about a potential bird strike shortly before it landed and gave the pilot permission to land in a different area.

Additional footage appeared to show a potential explosion in one of the airplane’s engines shortly before landing — potentially from a bird strike.

South Korea’s MBC TV has released Footage appearing to show an Explosion, possibly a Bird Strike, in the Right-Wing Engine of Jeju Air Flight 2216, right before it Crashed earlier at Muan International Airport in South Korea. pic.twitter.com/Vsy23dmuFZ

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) December 29, 2024

The plane crash was the worst aviation disaster the country has experienced in approximately 30 years, The New York Times reported.

“We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding flight 2216 and stand ready to support them,” Boeing said in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”

pic.twitter.com/TIrIUBw4RB

— The Boeing Company (@Boeing) December 29, 2024