At least 167 people are confirmed deceased after Jeju Air flight 7C2216 crash landed at Muan International Airport in South Korea this morning at 9 a.m. local time, the deadliest South Korean airline incident in nearly 30 years according to Transportation Ministry data.
Video footage released by local media showed the twin-engine Boeing 737-800 skidding down the runway without landing gear before hitting a guardwall and bursting into flames and debris. In a briefing, Muan Fire Department Head Lee Jung-hyun stated that the accident may have been due to malfunctioning landing gear, but cautioned that the exact cause is still under investigation.
Lee said that as of 1 p.m. local time on Sunday, the fire had been put out but that authorities have shifted from rescue operations to recovery efforts.
Lee added that the two survivors, crew members rescued from the burning tail of the plane, are currently receiving hospital care for moderate injuries. Jeju Air flight 7C2216, carrying 175 passengers and 6 crew, took off from Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday morning. No Taiwanese were on board.