South Korea plane crash

Tragic Plane Crash in South Korea: Over 120 Lives Lost. A devastating plane crash occurred at Muan International Airport in South Korea, claiming at least 120 lives. The Jeju Air flight was arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, when the incident took place during landing.

The accident took place on Sunday at 9:03 AM local time (00:03 GMT) when the Jeju Air flight, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members from Bangkok, Thailand, landed at Muan International Airport, approximately 289 km (179 miles) southwest of Seoul.

The National Fire Agency has confirmed that 120 people lost their lives in the tragic incident, while two crew members were rescued. The fire that engulfed the aircraft has since been extinguished, according to the agency.

A possible landing gear malfunction caused the plane to skid on its belly along the runway, followed by a massive explosion, according to Al Jazeera's Rob McBride reporting from Seoul.

The 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 carried two Thai passengers, with the rest believed to be South Koreans. Thailand’s Prime Minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, has extended heartfelt condolences to the victims' families.

Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been instructed to confirm if Thai passengers were aboard the plane and to provide immediate assistance, the prime minister announced on social media.

Photos shared by local media show thick black smoke rising from the plane and the tail section engulfed in flames near the runway, with firefighters and emergency vehicles at the scene.

The Yonhap news agency reports that the crash is believed to have been caused by “contact with birds, resulting in malfunctioning landing gear” as the plane attempted to land at the airport.

The country’s News1 agency reported that a passenger texted a relative to say a bird was stuck in the wing. The person’s final message was, “Should I say my last words?”

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