ASIATODAY.ID, MUAN – A plane crash has occurred again. This time it was experienced by an airline in South Korea, Jeju Air.
At least 28 were reported dead and several others possibly injured after a Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people crashed at one of the country’s airports on Sunday, according to police and fire service officials.
The accident occurred at 9:07 am local time when the Jeju Air plane went off the runway while landing and crashed into a fence at Musan International Airport in the Muan area, which is about 288 km southwest of Seoul.
Authorities confirmed that 28 people were found dead in the tail section of the plane, with the toll expected to rise. Three people were rescued.
A total of 181 people were on board the plane, including 6 crew members, who were on their way home from the Thai capital, Bangkok. Most of the passengers were Korean, except for two Thai citizens.
The accident caused serious damage to the aircraft and started a fire. The fire was extinguished within 43 minutes, while search and rescue operations continued at the scene.
About 80 firefighters have been deployed to the plane crash site.
Local officials suspect failure in the landing gear, possibly as a result of a collision with a bird, was the cause of the crash. An investigation at the scene has begun to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered relevant officials to exert all efforts in the rescue operation. Choi was on his way to the crash site, officials said.
The presidential office announced it would hold an emergency meeting of senior officials at 11.30 am local time, to discuss the government’s response to the accident. The meeting will be chaired by Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk.
Acting National Police Chief, Commissioner General Lee Ho-young, also ordered all available resources to be mobilized and cooperate with the fire brigade and other relevant agencies to support efforts to rescue victims. (Yonhap)
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