Plane crash kills 179 in South Korea, with only 2 survivors

A Boeing 737-8AS operated by the South Korean low-cost carrier Jeju Air crashed on 29 December 2024 while landing at Muan airport in southwest South Korea.

Flight JJA-2216, arriving from Bangkok, Thailand, was carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew members. The death toll stands at 179. Only two crew members, a steward and a stewardess, miraculously survived and were taken to hospital in Seoul.

Footage released by local media shows the plane landing on the runway, with smoke billowing from the engines before hitting a wall and bursting into flames. The passengers were flung from the aircraft during the crash.

Initial hypotheses as to the cause of the tragedy suggest a collision with birds, combined with unfavorable weather conditions. The exact cause of the accident will be disclosed after a thorough investigation.