A tragic plane crash at South Korea’s Muan International Airport has claimed the lives of at least 167 people, fire authorities have confirmed.
The aircraft, carrying 181 individuals, veered off the runway and collided with a wall, according to the Yonhap news agency.
The Jeju Air flight, returning from Bangkok, Thailand, was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members. Among the passengers were 173 South Koreans and two Thais.
Only two survivors, crew members from the tail section, have been found so far.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation, but local reports suggest it may have been caused by birds interfering with the plane’s systems.
Unverified footage shared on social media shows the aircraft skidding off the runway, colliding with a wall, and partially bursting into flames. Other videos depict a thick plume of black smoke rising from the scene.
The crash, which occurred shortly after 09:00 local time (00:00 GMT), prompted a swift emergency response, with 80 firefighters and over 30 fire trucks dispatched to the site.
Muan International Airport is located approximately 178 miles (288 km) southwest of Seoul.
This marks the first fatal accident in Jeju Air’s history since its establishment in 2005 and the first fatal crash involving a South Korean airline in over a decade.
The last such incident occurred in 2013 when three people died during an Asiana Airlines crash landing in San Francisco.
South Korea’s aviation industry, known for its strong safety record, is now grappling with the aftermath of this devastating event.