At least 28 die as plane returning from Thailand crashes in South Korea
At least 28 people were dead on Sunday after an airliner went off the runway and crashed at South Korea's Muan International Airport, Yonhap news agency reported. Two Thai nationals were on the flight, and their fate is still unknown.
The accident occurred as the Jeju Air plane, carrying 175 passengers and six crew on a flight from Thailand, was landing at the airport in the south of the country, the report said.
Two people were found alive as the rescue mission was continuing, according to Yonhap.
Authorities were working to rescue people in the tail section, an airport official told Reuters.
Photos shared by local media showed smoke and flame engulfing parts of the plane.
Acting President Choi Sung-mok, who was named interim leader of the country on Friday after the previous acting president was impeached amid an ongoing political crisis, ordered all-out rescue efforts, his office said.
A Jeju Air spokesperson said the airline was checking the reports.
Two Thai nationals were on the flight, and their fate is still unknown
Sirirat Srichart, Labour Attaché at the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, urgently informed the Ministry of Labour on December 29, 2024, about a tragic incident.
" At approximately 9.07am local time, Jeju Air flight 7C 2216, departing from Bangkok to Muan Airport, Jeollanam-do, South Korea, encountered an accident during landing when the plane's wheels failed to deploy. The aircraft skidded along the runway and caught fire, resulting in 23 fatalities out of 175 passengers.
Preliminary checks confirm that two Thai nationals were aboard the flight. The identities of the deceased are currently being verified. The Labour Office at the Thai Embassy in Seoul will closely monitor the situation and provide updates as needed.
Reuters
