At least 47 people lost their lives on Sunday in the crash of a plane from the Korean company Jeju Airen, which was flying between Bangkok and Muan airport in southwestern Korea, reports the Korean Air News Agency. Yonhap Press.
The plane, which was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, went off the runway before crashing into a fence at Muan International Airport, located in South Jeolla Province, about 288 kilometers south of Seoul.
At least 47 people were killed in the crash, while two survivors were rescued, Yonhap said, citing authorities. However, they fear a worsening of the toll in the hours to come.
“A landing gear malfunction is believed to be the cause of the crash, which occurred while the aircraft was attempting an emergency landing after an initial failure,” airport authorities said.
The plane, a Boeing 737-8AS, landed on its belly and caught fire when it hit a fence at the end of the runway, according to Yonhap.
Images broadcast by Korean television channels show numerous emergency service vehicles and dozens of firefighters working around the completely charred plane.
This is the first fatal accident in the history of Jeju Air, one of Korea’s largest low-cost airlines, founded in 2005.
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