By The Jerusalem Post (Politics) | Created at 2024-12-29 05:34:12 | Updated at 2025-01-06 23:15:04
1 week ago
A plane has driven off the runway in a South Korean airport, causing a fiery explosion and dozens of casualties.
By SHIR PERETS DECEMBER 29, 2024 02:50 Updated: DECEMBER 29, 2024 06:39
Firefighters carry out extinguishing operations on an aircraft which drove off runaway at Muan International Airport in Muan
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Some 85 casualties have been reported so far following a Boeing 737-800 aircraft driving off the runway and crashing into a wall at Muan International Airport in South Korea, the Yonhap news agency reported on Sunday.
A rescue mission quickly began to extract the passengers and flight attendants.
There were a total of 181 people, including six crew members, aboard the plane that was returning from Bangkok, the Yonhap report said.
The report also added that most of the passengers were Koreans, except for two Thai nationals.
Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the crash, South Korean officials said.
According to Newsis, Acting President Choi Sang-mok convened an emergency meeting regarding the accident.
Acting President Sang-mok reportedly instructed to "make every effort to rescue personnel, and to pay special attention to prevent safety accidents involving firefighters during the rescue process." Local media reported that he gave these instructions to the Acting Minister of the Interior and Safety, the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, the Commissioner General of the National Fire Agency, the Commissioner General of the National Police Agency, and other relevant organizations
דרום קוריאה: לפחות 23 בני אדם נפצעו לאחר שמטוס ובו כ-180 נוסעים ואנשי צוות סטה ממסלול ההמראה והתנגש בקיר, בנמל תעופה במואן שבדרום המדינה@EranCicurel pic.twitter.com/7zdpKLTIJJ
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) December 29, 2024Most of the passengers were found dead
Of the 175 passengers, only two survivors were extracted, Reuters reported. A man and a woman, both staff, were extracted from the tail of the plane.
South Korea's transport ministry has announced that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
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Shortly after the crash, Yonhap announced that all flights had been canceled at the airport where the crash took place.
Most of those on board are currently believed to be dead, with many casualties occurring due to passengers falling out of the body of the plane.
Local authorities believe a bird strike or weather conditions may be potential reasons for the crash.
In the hours after the event, Acting President Choi Sang-mok arrived at the scene of the crash to say that all resources would be put to use to investigate what happened, Reuters reported.
This is a developing story.
