The airport control tower reportedly issued a bird strike warning shortly before landing.
179 people died in a plane crash Sunday morning in South Korea. Only two survivors escaped death. These are conscious crew members whose vital prognosis is not in jeopardy.
The plane, which was carrying 181 people (175 passengers and six crew members), caught fire while trying to land at Muan airport, in the southwest of the country.
The plane, deprived of its landing gear, hit a concrete wall at the end of the runway. “The passengers were ejected from the plane, giving them little chance of survival”according to a fire official.
Firefighters deployed 32 fire trucks and several helicopters to contain the fire. Around 1,560 firefighters, police officers, soldiers and other officials were also sent to the scene.
Transportation Department officials said communications records showed the airport control tower issued a bird strike warning shortly before landing.
The Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 arrived from Bangkok. All passengers were South Korean, apart from two Thai passengers.
It was one of the deadliest air disasters in South Korean history. The last major disaster dates back to 1997, when a Korean Airline plane crashed in Guam, killing 228 people on board.
