Seoul, MINA – At least 85 passengers were killed in a plane crash at Musan International Airport in South Korea, according to media reports on Sunday.
A Jeju Air flight carrying 181 passengers, including six crew members, caught fire upon landing after reportedly experiencing issues with its landing gear around 9:07 AM local time in the Muan area, 288 kilometers (179 miles) southwest of South Korea’s capital, Seoul, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The twin-engine aircraft, returning from Bangkok, veered off the runway, collided with a fence, then struck a wall and caught fire.
Footage from local media shows the plane skidding along the runway and catching fire.
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A passenger and a crew member were found alive in the tail section of the plane while rescue efforts continued, though authorities stated that the death toll is likely to rise.
The majority of the passengers were South Korean nationals, with two being Thai citizens.
South Korea’s Acting President, Choi Sung-mok, ordered a “full-scale rescue operation” in response.
Choi, who is temporarily holding office amid a political crisis, convened an emergency meeting to oversee the response.
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Jeju Air stated that they were “reviewing the accident reports” after the incident.
This crash marks one of the deadliest aviation accidents in South Korea in recent years.
An investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the crash. (T/RE1/P2)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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