Instant South Korean plane crashes at Muan airport

Credit: Lee Geun-young

A video captured the moment a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed while landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea on Sunday.

The footage broadcast by YTN television showed the plane sliding down the runway with its landing gear still up. The plane got off coursewhich crashed into a concrete wall at the edge of the airport before bursting into a massive fire.

Other local stations also broadcast footage of thick black smoke rising from the fully engulfed wreckage, which crashed around 10 p.m. 9 local time.

The plane, which arrived from Bangkok, Thailand, was carrying 181 people, including two Thai nationals, when disaster struck on Sunday morning.

As of 11:30 GMT, authorities had confirmed 177 deaths, two survivors and two missing persons.

Emergency personnel believe no more survivors are expected, placing the crash as one of South Korea’s deadliest aviation disasters.

The crash happened during landing after the plane experienced a malfunction, with early reports suggesting a bird strike may have caused a landing gear failure.

A passenger’s final messages, shared with South Korean media, described the situation. Their last message read: “Should I leave a will?”

The aircraft landed without its landing gear exposed and was unable to hold its course, eventually veering off the runway and into the military port section of the airport, where it exploded.

The government has closed the runway at Muan International Airport until January 1 for investigations. Authorities have found the plane’s black boxes, which are being examined to determine the cause of the disaster.

Jeju Air has expressed condolences and pledged full cooperation with the investigation. Thailand’s prime minister has also offered his condolences to the families of the victims.

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