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Firefighters responded to an aircraft incident at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on December 29, 2024. Reports indicate that an airliner overshot the runway and crashed, resulting in a devastating fireball after colliding with a wall.
The tragic accident involved Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which was arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members. The incident occurred shortly after 9 a.m. local time (0000 GMT). Out of those on board, two crew members survived and are currently receiving treatment for their injuries.
This accident marks the deadliest in South Korean history, claiming 179 lives, and is the most catastrophic event concerning a South Korean airline in nearly three decades. The Boeing 737-800, as seen in local media footage, skidded down the runway without visible landing gear before crashing into navigational equipment and a wall, causing a large explosion of flames and debris.
Muan fire chief Lee Jung-hyun described the wreckage, stating, “Only the tail part retains a little bit of shape, and the rest of the (plane) looks almost impossible to recognize.” The two surviving crew members were found in the tail section of the burning aircraft and were taken to hospitals with moderate to severe injuries.
Authorities are investigating potential causes for the crash, including bird strikes and weather conditions, with reports suggesting that a bird strike may have led to a malfunction in the landing gear. This incident is the deadliest involving a South Korean airline since a Korean Air crash in Guam in 1997 that resulted in over 200 fatalities, and the worst accident on South Korean soil since an Air China crash in 2002 that killed 129 people.
Experts emphasized that several questions remain unanswered, particularly regarding the aircraft’s high speed, the lack of deployed flaps, and the retracted landing gear during the landing attempt. Gregory Alegi, an aviation expert and former instructor at Italy’s air force academy, expressed concern over these unanswered questions.
According to international aviation regulations, South Korea will spearhead the civil investigation into the crash while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the U.S. will also be involved due to the aircraft’s origin. The NTSB confirmed a team of U.S. investigators has been dispatched to assist South Korea’s aviation authority. Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are also engaged in the investigation process.
### ‘My Last Words’
In the aftermath of the crash, family members congregated in the airport’s arrival area, some visibly distressed as Red Cross volunteers provided blankets. Many of the victims were reportedly local residents returning from vacation. As medical personnel announced the names of identified victims, relatives were overwhelmed with grief.
In a heart-wrenching moment, one family member pleaded for information, stating, “My older brother died, and I don’t know what’s going on.” The scene outside the airport saw mortuary vehicles queueing as authorities set up a temporary morgue.
A transport ministry official indicated that the control tower issued a bird strike warning before the pilots declared a mayday and attempted to land from an alternate direction. One passenger communicated with a relative, mentioning a bird lodged in the aircraft’s wing, ending their message with the haunting question, “Should I say my last words?”
Jeon Je-young, the father of a woman aboard the flight, replayed the crash video multiple times, remarking, “When I saw the accident video, the plane seemed out of control.” He expressed disbelief at the loss of his daughter, who was close to returning home.
The Boeing 737-800 involved in the incident is a widely used model recognized for its strong safety record, developed long before the MAX variant that faced scrutiny in a previous Boeing crisis. The aircraft was manufactured in 2009.
Boeing issued a statement expressing condolences to families impacted by the tragedy and confirmed ongoing communication with Jeju Air to provide support.
The two engines, CFM56-7B26 models, were produced by CFM International, a collaboration between GE Aerospace and Safran. A spokesperson from CFM expressed sorrow over the loss of flight 2216, offering condolences to those affected.
Addressing the situation, Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae issued an apology during a news briefing, emphasizing the aircraft’s clean record and the absence of any early warnings of malfunction. He vowed that the airline would cooperate fully with investigators and prioritize support for the families of victims.
Kerati Kijmanawat, president of Airports of Thailand, mentioned that no unusual conditions were reported at Suvarnabhumi Airport prior to the aircraft’s departure. While two Thai nationals were among the passengers, the majority appeared to be South Korean residents. This incident represents Jeju Air’s first fatal accident since its inception in 2005, making it the third largest airline in South Korea by passenger numbers.
The accident occurred just three weeks after Jeju Air launched regular flights from Muan to Bangkok and other Asian destinations on December 8. Although Muan International Airport is one of the smaller airports in South Korea, it has experienced significant growth in flight traffic in recent years. Following the accident, all domestic and international flights at the airport were canceled.
South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok, who recently ascended to leadership amid a political crisis, visited the crash site and stated that the government is dedicating all available resources to address the incident.
According to Thai government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub, two Thai women on board, aged 22 and 45, have been confirmed among the deceased. The Thai foreign ministry reported coordinating with its embassy in Seoul to assist family members in traveling from Thailand. Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed her condolences on social media, directing the foreign ministry to provide necessary support.
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