Tragic Aviation Incident: Boeing Engages with Jeju Air
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Seoul, Dec 29 (NationPress) US aviation giant Boeing stated on Sunday that it is presently in communication with Jeju Air Co. in the aftermath of the catastrophic crash of one of their Boeing 737-800 aircraft in the southwestern county of Muan.
"We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding flight 2216 and are prepared to provide assistance to them," the company conveyed in a statement.
"We express our deepest sympathies to the families who have lost loved ones, and our thoughts are with the passengers and crew,” it further remarked, according to reports from Yonhap news agency.
A Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by Jeju Air tragically crashed at Muan International Airport, located 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul, early today, with all but two of the 181 individuals on board believed to be deceased.
Authorities reported that at least 125 people have perished and two were rescued after a Jeju Air passenger jet carrying 181 people burst into flames as it veered off the runway and collided with a wall at an airport in South Korea's southwestern county of Muan on Sunday, marking one of the nation's most devastating aviation disasters.
Efforts are currently underway to recover the remains of the victims. Footage broadcast by local TV stations depicts the plane attempting to land without its landing gear deployed. The aircraft skidded and crashed into a concrete wall, subsequently exploding and engulfed in flames.
"After the plane struck the wall, passengers were ejected from the aircraft. The chances of survival are exceedingly low," stated an official from the firefighting agency.
"The aircraft has been nearly entirely destroyed, making it challenging to identify the deceased," the official added. "We are in the process of recovering the remains, which will require time."
Most passengers were South Korean, with the exception of two Thai nationals.
A temporary morgue has been established within Muan airport to accommodate the bodies of the victims.
Officials suspect a failure of the landing gear, potentially caused by a bird strike, may have led to this tragedy. An on-site investigation has commenced to ascertain the precise cause.
