Air traffic controllers warned the pilot of a South Korean passenger plane about a possible bird strike just moments before it crashed, killing 179 people, it has been revealed.
The Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 flight crashed at South Korea’s Muan airport on Sunday morning, with all but two of the 181 passenger and crew killed.
The Jeju Air flight erupted in flames after veering off the runway and crashing into a wall. Footage showed the horrifying moment the packed plane burst into flames.
The transport ministry has confirmed that air traffic controllers warned the pilots of the ill-fated flight about bird strike risks just three minutes before the plane landed. The pilot then declared a mayday one minute later before trying to land the plane.
But experts have expressed scepticism that a collision with a bird could cause such damage.
The plane was arriving at Muan Airport from Bangkok, Thailand shortly after 09.00am local time, returning vacationers from their Christmas holidays when it crashed.
Update: All passengers killed on Jeju Air flight, say authorities
All 175 passengers aboard the Jeju Air flight that crashes this morning have been killed, local authorities have announced.
The total death toll is 179. Two of the six crew members were the only survivors. They had been sitting at the back of the plane.
Tom Watling29 December 2024 12:29
Lammy issues statement over South Korea crash
Tom Watling29 December 2024 12:19
What do we know about the aircraft involved?
The Boeing 737-800 involved in the accident was originally ordered by Ryanair and delivered to the airline’s Dublin base on 4 September 2009. It flew for the Irish carrier for seven years. In November 2016 it was withdrawn from use. Ryanair maintains a younger fleet than many airlines.
The 737 was returned to the lessor SMBC Aviation Capital. In February 2017 it was leased to Jeju Air, and flew from Dublin via Baku to Seoul Gimpo airport.
Since then it has been used for high-frequency regional flights. In the week before the accident, the aircraft flew mainly to and from Muan and the holiday island of Jeju. Destinations included Bangkok, Nagasaki, Taipei, Kota Kinabalu and Beijing.
Two days before the crash, the Boeing 737 was on a routine flight from Jeju to Beijing when it diverted to South Korea’s main airport, Incheon. The flight later continued to the Chinese capital.
Simon Calder, Travel Correspondent 29 December 2024 11:59
South Korea to observe a weeklong mourning period
South Korea will observe a weeklong mourning period to commemorate those killed on the Jeju Air flight earlier today, the acting president Choi Sang-mok has announced.
Tom Watling29 December 2024 11:48
Moment Jeju Air plane skids along South Korea runway before crash
Moment Jeju Air plane skids along South Korea runway before crash
A Jeju Air passenger plane carrying 181 people skidded down the runway at Muan International Airport in South Korea on Sunday, December 29, before crashing. Yonhap news agency, citing firefighting authorities reported that, except for the two rescued, all the missing passengers are presumed dead and search efforts have now shifted to recovering the bodies. The aircraft appeared to land without its landing gear deployed as it touched down on the tarmac, skidding and veering off the runway before slamming into a wall and bursting into flames. Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from the Thai capital of Bangkok, was landing shortly after 9am (0000 GMT) at the airport in the country’s south, South Korea’s transport ministry said.
Tom Watling29 December 2024 11:29
Rescuers assess Jeju Air crash site at South Korea’s Muan airport
Emergency workers assess Jeju Air crash site at South Korea’s Muan airport
Emergency workers assessed the wreckage of a Jeju Air passenger plane carrying 181 people that crashed in South Korea at Muan International Airport on Sunday, 29 December. Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from the Thai capital of Bangkok, was landing shortly after 9am (0000 GMT) at the airport in the country’s south, South Korea’s transport ministry said. It burst into flames after skidding down the runway and crashing. Yonhap news agency, citing firefighting authorities, reported that except for the two rescued all missing passengers on the Boeing 737-800 flight are presumed dead and that search efforts have now shifted to recovering bodies.
Tom Watling29 December 2024 11:00
South Korea’s suspended Yoon offers condolences after plane crash
South Korea‘s suspended president, Yoon Suk Yeol, offered “deep condolences” to the families of those who died in the plane crash at Muan International Airport on Sunday.
Mr Yoon was suspended after declaring martial law in South Korea earlier this month.
Tom Watling29 December 2024 10:25
Update: Death toll increases to 177
The death toll has increased yet again, this time to 177.
As a reminder, there were 181 people on board, six of which were crew members.
Only two people are known to have survived. They were a male and a female, both part of the crew, who had been sitting at the back of the plane.
Tom Watling29 December 2024 10:13
Everything we know so far about the South Korea plane crash
Tom Watling29 December 2024 10:04
Emergency workers assess Jeju Air crash site at South Korea’s Muan airport
Emergency workers assess Jeju Air crash site at South Korea’s Muan airport
Emergency workers assessed the wreckage of a Jeju Air passenger plane carrying 181 people that crashed in South Korea at Muan International Airport on Sunday, 29 December. Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from the Thai capital of Bangkok, was landing shortly after 9am (0000 GMT) at the airport in the country’s south, South Korea’s transport ministry said. It burst into flames after skidding down the runway and crashing. Yonhap news agency, citing firefighting authorities, reported that except for the two rescued all missing passengers on the Boeing 737-800 flight are presumed dead and that search efforts have now shifted to recovering bodies.
Tom Watling29 December 2024 09:41
