Survivors of South Korea's deadly plane crash: How 2 crew members made it

A passenger plane at a South Korean airport skid off the runway on Sunday, hit a concrete barrier and burst into flames; 179 passengers lost their lives in the crash

Tragic scenes unfolded at Muan International Airport in South Korea on Sunday when a Jeju Air flight crashed on the runway, resulting in the deaths of 179 out of the 181 people aboard. The only survivors were two flight attendants who were seated in the rear tail section of the aircraft, which is statistically regarded as the safest area during an accident.

 

A 2015 study by TIME Magazine found that the rear seats had a 32 per cent fatality rate, lower than the middle section (39 per cent) and the front (38 per cent).

 

The survivors, 32-year-old Lee and 25-year-old Kwon, were rescued from the burned wreckage. According to reports, both were in a state of shock and confusion, with Lee repeatedly asking, “What happened?” and “Why am I here?” after being rescued.

 

 

Hospital officials reported that Lee suffered a fractured left shoulder and head injuries but remained conscious. They mentioned that his reaction reflects the psychological impact of the crash. “It seems he was in a near-panic state, possibly worried about the safety of the plane and passengers,” a medical professional shared.

 

Kwon (25), who sustained a scalp laceration, fractured ankle, and abdominal pain, also had no memory of the crash. Kwon is receiving treatment at Mokpo Central Hospital in South Korea. Although both survivors have significant injuries, their lives are not in immediate danger, news reports said quoting hospital staff.

Crash during landing attempt

The Boeing 737-800 was en route from Bangkok to Muan when it crashed during its landing attempt around 9 am. It skid off the runway, hit a fence, and burst into flames. A large plume of black smoke soon rose into the sky. The aircraft’s damaged tail was the only visible sign of the crash.

 

Videos of the incident showed that the plane attempted an emergency landing without its landing gear fully deployed, with initial reports indicating a malfunction in the landing gear as the likely cause of the crash.

 

Among the passengers, the oldest was a 78-year-old man, and the youngest was a three-year-old child. Two Thai nationals were also among the fatalities, according to South Korea's News1 agency.

 

At least 177 people were killed in South Korea’s deadliest air accident when Jeju Air flight 2216 crashed at Muan International Airport. Investigators are looking into bird strikes and weather conditions as potential causes https://t.co/UCBiW1DBka pic.twitter.com/YqIqfqHFZR

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 29, 2024

Muan plane crash

A passenger plane skid off the runway at a South Korean airport on Sunday, collided with a concrete barrier and caught fire after its front landing gear reportedly failed to deploy. In one of the country’s deadliest aviation disasters, 179 people died out of 181 passengers on board.

The Jeju Air flight crashed while attempting to land in Muan, located around 290 km south of Seoul. According to the Transport Ministry, the aircraft was a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet that had arrived from Bangkok, with the crash occurring at 9.03 am.

 

The South Korean fire agency reported that 179 people — including 85 women, 84 men, and 10 others whose gender was not immediately identified — perished in the fire. Emergency responders managed to rescue two crew members, who are conscious and in stable condition, according to health officials.

 

[With agency inputs]