At least 85 dead after plane crashes while landing in South Korea
At least 85 people are dead after a passenger jet crashed upon landing at an airport in South Korea on Sunday morning, authorities said.
Jeju Air Flight 2216 was landing at Muan International Airport around 9 a.m. local time when the plane went off the runway and crashed into a wall.
The updated death toll was provided by the National Fire Agency. The official death toll has steadily climbed in the hours after the crash. There were a total of 175 passengers and six crew members aboard the Boeing 737 aircraft, which had taken off from Bangkok, according to the Korean Ministry of Land Infrastructure and Transport.
It’s unclear how many people are unaccounted for.
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Video from the scene at the time of the crash appears to show the landing gear was up when the plane touched down, indicating some sort of malfunction, and it also appears the plane landed at a high speed.
The transport ministry was on the scene investigating the cause of the crash.
Two people were rescued from the wreckage of the plane and taken to the hospital, according to the transport ministry. Their condition is not known.
Initially, there were conflicting reports on the number of people rescued.
Videos taken at the scene showed flames and a thick column of dark smoke at the crash site.
As of 1 p.m. local time, authorities said the plane had completely burned. A temporary morgue was being set up at the airport.
Jeju Air is a South Korean low-cost carrier that operates an all Boeing fleet, with 42 planes and nearly 3,000 staff.
“We deeply apologize to all those affected by the incident at Muan Airport,” Jeju Air said in a notice posted in English on its website. “We will make every effort to resolve the situation. We sincerely regret the distress caused.”
The website’s landing page replaced Jeju Air’s logotype, which is usually orange, with an all-black version.
Boeing was in contact with Jeju Air regarding the crash and was “standing ready to support them,” a Boeing spokesperson told ABC News.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew,” the spokesperson said.
Muan, a city of roughly 90,000 people, is located in southwest South Korea.
