On 29th December 2024, a Jeju Air Boeing 737 crashed during a belly landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea, killing 179 individuals onboard.
The Boeing 737-800 with registration HL8088 was operating flight 7C2216 from Bangkok to Muan with 175 passengers and six crew members onboard, as reported by Aero World.
However, on landing at Muan International Airport, located approximately 288 kilometers from Seoul, the B737 veered off the runway and collided with a fence before bursting into flames.
Disturbing video footage captured the aircraft’s failed belly landing attempt, followed by the explosion.
Emergency responders reported 179 fatalities, whereas two survivors were pulled from the debris and taken to hospital. Witnesses described a massive fireball at the crash site.Â
However, it’s unknown if the crew declared an emergency before touching down as no firefighting vehicles appear to be present in the footage of the belly landing.
The cause of the incident remains unknown, and investigators are working to determine the events leading to the crash.
Some reports are even suspecting a bird strike to be the reason behind the incident.
Following the incident, Muan International Airport has been temporarily closed, and emergency teams have been on-site assisting survivors and recovering victims.
This is a developing story.
Featured Image via Yonhap News Agency