Boeing 737-800 of Jeju Air Crashes in South Korea, 179 Dead

A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 carrying 181 people crashed while landing at Muan Airport in South Korea early Friday, killing 179 passengers, according to Yonhap News Agency. The accident occurred at 9:07 a.m. local time (3:07 a.m. Moscow time).

The aircraft, en route from Bangkok to Muan, located about 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul, failed to deploy its landing gear and skidded off the runway. It struck a perimeter wall, broke into several pieces, and caught fire.

Among the 175 passengers and six crew members on board, only two survived—a passenger and a flight attendant—South Korea’s National Fire Agency reported. "After the plane hit the wall, passengers were thrown from the aircraft. Survival chances were extremely low," a fire department official said. "The plane is almost completely destroyed, making identification of the deceased challenging."

Authorities have confirmed the deaths of 120 people, with the remaining fatalities yet to be officially verified.

Preliminary investigations suggest a landing gear failure caused by a bird strike may have led to the crash. Smoke was reportedly seen emanating from the aircraft’s right engine minutes before impact.

Kim Lee Bae, CEO of Jeju Air, stated that the aircraft was in good condition and underwent regular maintenance. “The plane showed no signs of abnormality,” Kim said, pledging full support for the families of the victims.

Founded in 2005, Jeju Air is South Korea’s largest low-cost carrier. The crashed Boeing 737-800, manufactured in August 2009, was considered relatively new. The airline operates a fleet of 39 aircraft of the same model.

The crash is one of the deadliest aviation disasters in South Korean history. Investigations by aviation authorities are ongoing, while Jeju Air faces scrutiny over safety protocols.