Washington, Dec 29 (NationPress) A passenger aircraft carrying 181 individuals caught fire after it strayed off the runway at an airport located in South Korea's southwestern region of Muan on Sunday, resulting in at least 62 fatalities, with authorities anticipating a significant increase in the death toll.

The incident occurred at 9:07 a.m. when the Jeju Air flight deviated from the runway during landing and crashed into a fence at the Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, approximately 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul, as reported by the Yonhap news agency.

Authorities have confirmed 62 deaths, with expectations that this number may increase. A single passenger and one crew member were successfully rescued.

There were a total of 181 people on board, including six crew members, as the flight was returning from Bangkok.

The majority of the passengers were Korean, with the exception of two Thai nationals.

Footage broadcast by local television stations depicted the aircraft attempting to land without its landing gear deployed. The plane skidded across the runway, crashed into a concrete wall, and subsequently exploded, becoming engulfed in flames.

The explosion nearly obliterated the aircraft.

Firefighters have successfully extinguished the flames, and search and rescue operations are currently ongoing at the crash site.

Approximately 80 firefighters have been dispatched to manage the situation.

Officials are investigating a potential landing gear failure, which may have been triggered by a bird strike, as a possible cause of the accident. An on-site investigation is underway to ascertain the precise cause.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok has directed officials to exert maximum effort in the rescue operations. Choi was en route to the accident site, as reported by his officials.

The presidential office has announced that an emergency meeting of senior officials will convene at 11:30 a.m. to deliberate on government responses to the aircraft disaster. This meeting will be led by Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jin-suk.

Acting National Police Agency Commissioner-General Lee Ho-young has also instructed officials to deploy all available resources and collaborate with firefighting and related agencies to support the rescue efforts.