Horrific Boeing 737-800 Plane Crash in South Korea Kills Nearly Everyone On Board

Tragedy struck just a few days after Christmas when a plane crashed in South Korea, killing nearly everyone on board.

Jeju Air / Unsplash

On Sunday, Dec. 29, Jeju Air Flight 2216 was flying back from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, and scheduled to land at the Muan International Airport in South Korea. The plane was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members.

When the plane arrived at the airport, it skidded off the runway moments before the aircraft became engulfed in flames. Only two passengers survived, both of whom were crew members.

"The pilot declared mayday after issuing the bird strike alert," said Joo Jong-wan, director of the Aviation Policy Division at South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and transport. He added that the plane was "completely destroyed."

Several witnesses explained what they saw as the horrifying events unfolded. One witness, Yoo jae-yong, 41, told The Guardian that she heard an explosion and immediately knew something was wrong.

A second witness, Kim Yong-cheol, 70, described the sound of "metallic scrapping" roughly five minutes before the crash happened. Shortly after, she told the news source that she saw "black smoke billowing into the sky."

Among the many victims was a 3-year-old boy, the youngest of the passengers. At least 88 individuals have been identified, while the remaining victims are still being investigated.

"The cause of the accident is presumed to be a bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions," said the chief of the Muan Fire Station, Lee Jeong-hyun. "However, the exact case will be announced following a joint investigation."

The crash now marks the deadliest airline disaster in 2024. The families involved in this tragedy are mourning their loved ones as authorities continue to release the names of each identified victim.

Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae stated, "Above all, we offer our heartfelt condolences and apologies to the passengers who tragically lost their lives in the accident and to their bereaved families." E-bae added that the company takes "full responsibility for this tragedy."