South Korea’s Jeju Air jet crashes

On December 29, 2024, Jeju Air Flight 2216, a Boeing 737-800, crashed at Muan International Airport in South Korea, resulting in the deaths of 179 of the 181 people on board.

Incident Details:

• Flight Information: The aircraft departed from Suvarnabhumi Airport near Bangkok, Thailand, at 1:30 a.m. local time, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members. It was scheduled to land at Muan International Airport around 8:30 a.m.
• Crash Circumstances: During landing, the plane’s front landing gear failed to deploy properly, leading to a belly landing. The aircraft skidded off the runway, collided with a concrete wall, and burst into flames. The crash occurred in good weather conditions, and the plane had no prior maintenance issues.
• Casualties: Tragically, 179 individuals, including a 3-year-old boy, lost their lives. Only two crew members survived, sustaining moderate to severe injuries.

Possible Causes:

• Bird Strike: Investigators suspect that a bird strike may have caused the landing gear malfunction. The airport control tower had warned the flight crew about birds in the vicinity shortly before the crash.
• Structural Concerns: Aviation experts have criticized the presence of a concrete wall at the runway’s end, suggesting it contributed significantly to the fatalities by causing the aircraft to explode upon impact.

Investigation and Response:

• Black Boxes Recovered: Both flight data recorders have been retrieved, and authorities are analyzing them to determine the exact cause of the crash.
• Official Statements: Jeju Air’s CEO has expressed condolences and pledged full cooperation with the investigation. Acting President Choi Sang-mok has declared Muan County a special disaster zone and has ordered comprehensive rescue and recovery efforts.

This tragedy marks one of the deadliest aviation disasters in South Korea’s history, and authorities are committed to uncovering the factors that led to this catastrophic event.