Everything we know about South Korea plane crash that has killed 179 people
A plane crash at an international airport in South Korea has killed a total of 179 people; here's everything we know so far.
When and where did the Jeju Air plane crash take place?
The crash and subsequent fire occurred at the Muan International Airport, located in southwestern South Korea approximately 180 miles (290km) south of Seoul.
Footage from the airport shows the plane sliding along the runway before colliding straight into a concrete wall, where the aircraft was destroyed and came to a stop as a fire broke out.
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The incident took place at 9:03am local time today (December 29), as the Jeju Air flight came in to land after journeying from Bangkok, Thailand.
Why did the plane crash?
Authorities have shared some theories as to why the Boeing 737-800 crashed, including the possibility of a bird strike.
Prior to the crash, the control tower at Muan International Airport had warned the Jeju Air pilot of a bird strike, and footage aired by a local broadcaster appears to show a strike as the plane was descending.
A witness to the crash, 70-year-old Kim Yong-cheol, told the Yonhap News Agency that he heard the sound of 'metallic scraping' twice about five minutes before the crash.
Authorities are also looking into the possibility that weather conditions may have played a role in the incident.
The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, but a senior Transport Ministry official has said authorities have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder to look at data surrounding the crash.
However, as some of the data is said to have been damaged in the crash, it could take up to a month to decode.
What happened in the moments before the crash?
Video footage shows the plane sliding along the runway on its belly, with no wheels to support it as it came in to land.
This is believed to be the second attempt the pilot made at landing after the plane's landing gear failed to lower as it should have.
According to The Independent, a timeline of the minutes before the plane struck the wall has now come to light.
8:57am - The control tower at Muan International Airport issues a warning over possible bird strikes
8:58am - The Jeju Air pilot sends a 'Mayday' distress signal
9:00am - The plane attempts to land, but the landing gear is not deployed
9:03am - The plane crash-lands and collides into the concrete wall
Who was on board?
A total of 181 people were on the plane when the collision took place; six crew members and 175 passengers. Rescuers managed to save two members of the crew, but the remaining 179 people have been declared dead.
Among the deceased are five children under the age of 10, and an older passenger who was 78 years old. Most passengers were South Koreans, though there were also two Thai women on board, Thai authorities confirmed.
Some of the families of the deceased have since spoken out and in honor of the victims, the South Korean government has declared a period of national mourning in the country for the next seven days.
One of the two survivors has spoken out after he was taken to hospital, and said that he had already been rescued when he woke up.
Hospital director Ju Woong told the Yonhap News Agency: "He’s fully able to communicate. There's no indication yet of memory loss or such."
The survivor suffered multiple fractures in the crash and is now receiving special care due to the risk of after-effects.
What have Jeju Air and Boeing said?
The president of Jeju Air, Kim E-bae, addressed the crash in a televised news conference and said that he takes 'full responsibility' for what happened.
He noted the company had not noticed any mechanical problems with the plane prior to the incident, and that he would wait for the results of government investigations to determine the cause of the crash.
Song Kyung-hoon, the head of Jeju Air's management team, has added that the crash was not due to 'any maintenance issues'.
"There are areas we have to investigate further by determining the exact cause of the crash," he said, adding that the company's insurance plan should be able to support the victims of those involved and their families.
In a statement on Twitter, Boeing said it is in contact with Jeju Air about the crash and 'stand ready to support them'.
"We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew," the company added.
Topics: World News, Jeju Air
Emily Brown