Seoul, South Korea: The death toll from a catastrophic plane accident at Muan Airport in South Korea has risen to 85, following a passenger aircraft catching fire after veering off the runway and colliding with a concrete fence. Officials believe a failure in the aircraft’s front landing gear contributed to the incident.
The Jeju Air plane, carrying 181 people, burst into flames early Sunday morning. Emergency teams, including 32 fire trucks and multiple helicopters, managed to largely contain the fire, but the rescue operation is still underway. Two survivors, a passenger and a crew member, have been pulled from the wreckage so far.
Video footage broadcasted by local media depicted the aircraft skidding across the airstrip with its landing gear retracted, ultimately crashing into a concrete barrier. Authorities noted that the flight had been returning from Bangkok when the crash occurred around 9:03 am local time. Among the passengers were two Thai nationals.
This tragedy coincides with a period of political upheaval in South Korea, marked by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration of martial law and subsequent impeachment proceedings. Acting President Han Duck-soo was also impeached recently, leading Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok to assume leadership. Choi has directed all available resources to assist in the rescue mission, while senior government officials convene to address the crisis.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, with preliminary reports pointing to landing gear failure as a potential factor.
