Accident involving Jeju Air Flight 2216

A tragic aviation accident involving Jeju Air Flight 2216, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, occurred at Muan International Airport in South Korea on December 29, 2024. The flight, arriving from Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew members on board, crashed during its second landing attempt. The plane’s front landing gear failed to open, causing it to skid off the runway and crash into a concrete fence, after which it caught fire. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 179 people, including a 3-year-old child; only two crew members survived with injuries.

People

Initial investigations suggest the bird strike may have caused a mechanical failure, preventing the landing gear from deploying properly. Both black boxes have been recovered, and an intensive investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash.

Associated Press

In response to this tragedy, the South Korean government has declared a seven-day national mourning. The CEO of Jeju Air has expressed deep condolences and pledged full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.

The Times

The incident is one of the deadliest aviation accidents in South Korea since the Korean Air crash in Guam in 1997. The global community, including leaders such as Pope Francis and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, has expressed condolences to the families of the victims.