A Jeju Air aircraft carrying 181 individuals from Bangkok to South Korea crashed on arrival Sunday, colliding with a barrier and bursting into flames, with solely two survivors rescued to date and 96 confirmed lifeless.
A collision with birds and opposed climate situations had been cited by the authorities as probably causes of the crash that flung passengers out of the aircraft and left it “virtually utterly destroyed”, based on fireplace officers.
Video confirmed the Jeju Air aircraft touchdown on its stomach with out wheels at Muan Worldwide Airport, skidding off the runway as smoke streamed out from the engines, earlier than crashing right into a wall and exploding in flames.
“Passengers had been ejected from the plane after it collided with the barrier, leaving little likelihood of survival,” a neighborhood fireplace official advised households at a briefing, based on an announcement launched by the fireplace brigade.
“The aircraft is nearly utterly destroyed, and figuring out the deceased is proving troublesome. The method is taking time as we find and recuperate the stays,” he was quoted as saying.
“To date, two individuals rescued — each are flight attendants — 96 lifeless,” the fireplace division mentioned, revising an earlier assertion that mentioned one of many survivors was a passenger.
A photograph confirmed the tail part of the aircraft — a Boeing 737-8AS based on Flight Radar — engulfed in flames on what gave the impression to be the aspect of the runway, with firefighters and emergency autos close by.
“The reason for the accident is presumed to be a fowl strike mixed with opposed climate situations. Nonetheless, the precise trigger will likely be introduced following a joint investigation,” Lee Jeong-hyun, chief of Muan fireplace station, mentioned throughout a briefing.
A response workforce officer on the native fireplace division, Lee Hyeon-ji mentioned rescue authorities had evacuated passengers from the rear part of the jet.
The Muan Worldwide Airport is in Muan county, which is about 288 kilometres (179 miles) southwest of Seoul.
The hearth company mentioned it had mobilised 32 fireplace engines and scores of fireplace fighters to the scene.
The accident befell at 9:03 am (0003 GMT) on Sunday throughout the touchdown of Jeju Air Flight 2216, the Ministry of Land mentioned.
“A complete of 175 passengers — together with two Thai nationals — and 6 crew members had been onboard,” it mentioned.
The preliminary fireplace was extinguished and a search and rescue operation was “below means on the crash website”, it mentioned in an announcement at round 11:00 am native time.
Low-cost provider Jeju Air apologised and vowed to do all it might to assist.
“We at Jeju Air will do every part in our energy in response to this accident. We sincerely apologise for inflicting concern,” the airline mentioned in an announcement posted on its social media channels.
– Engulfed in flames –
Appearing President Choi Sang-mok referred to as for the mobilisation of all assets to save lots of the passengers.
“All associated companies… should mobilise all accessible assets to save lots of the personnel,” he instructed officers in an announcement.
Choi convened an emergency assembly with cupboard members to debate rescue operations and response earlier than heading to Muan, his workplace mentioned.
“I consider no phrases of comfort would suffice for the bereaved households who’ve suffered this tragedy,” mentioned Choi, who took workplace solely on Friday.
“All the authorities is working intently collectively to handle the aftermath of the accident, dedicating all accessible assets, whereas making each effort to make sure thorough help for the bereaved households,” he added.
It’s the first deadly accident within the historical past of Jeju Air, considered one of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, which was arrange in 2005.
On August 12, 2007, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air carrying 74 passengers got here off the runway resulting from robust winds on the southern Busan-Gimhae airport, leading to a dozen accidents.
South Korea’s aviation business has a stable monitor report for security, specialists say.
Final 12 months, a passenger opened an emergency exit on an Asiana Airways flight because it was making ready to land, with the plane touchdown safely however a number of individuals hospitalised.
Quite a few deadly aviation accidents have occurred globally resulting from fowl strikes, which might trigger a lack of energy if the animals are sucked into the air intakes.
In 2009, a United States Airways Airbus A320 famously landed in New York’s Hudson River after fowl strikes on each of its engines, in an incident extensively generally known as the “Miracle on the Hudson” as a result of there was no lack of life.
AFP
