Airplane Departure from Runway in South Korea Leaves 179 Dead

According to the South Korean fire department, the departure of a passenger airplane from the runway at Muan Airport in South Korea has left 179 dead. The aircraft, with 175 passengers and six crew members, was landing at Muan Airport from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, when it veered off the runway and collided violently with a concrete barrier. The South Korean Ministry of Transportation reported that the incident occurred at 9:30 AM local time on Sunday, January 9, in the city of Muan in the southwest of the country. According to the National Fire Agency of South Korea, only two people survived in the rear section of the plane, both of whom were crew members. Videos released from the incident show an airplane that apparently had its wheels not deployed, sliding on the runway before crashing into the surrounding concrete barriers and catching fire in parts. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800 and belonged to the airline 'Jeju Air'. The airline expressed condolences to the victims and apologized to the passengers and their families for the incident, regardless of the cause. Boeing also expressed sympathy and stated that it is in contact with Jeju Air. Choi Sang-mook, the acting president of South Korea, visited Muan Airport shortly after the incident and stated that the entire government is mobilizing resources to address the disaster. Earlier, the fire department reported the deployment of 32 vehicles and several fire helicopters to the scene. Local television networks aired footage showing thick columns of black smoke rising from the crash site. Emergency officials in Muan stated that they are investigating the cause of the incident and initial evidence suggests that the airplane's wheels malfunctioned. Two of the passengers were Thai citizens, and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha expressed condolences to the victims and their families on social media. This incident on Sunday is considered one of the deadliest aviation disasters in South Korea. Previously, in 1997, a Korean Air plane crashed in Guam, killing all 228 on board. The incident on Sunday occurred amid a political crisis in South Korea, as the parliament suspended the powers of President Yoon Suk-yeol on December 15 and voted to dismiss the acting president on Friday.