Jeju Air CEO apologises for deadly plane crash at South Korea's Muan airport

179 people were killed when an airliner landed without wheels, veering off the runway and erupting in a fireball as it slammed into a wall at the airport

Published: Sun 29 Dec 2024, 10:28 AM

Updated: Sun 29 Dec 2024, 5:48 PM

By
Web Desk

Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae and officials bow to apologise for their plane's incident at Muan International Airport as they hold a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, December 29, 2024. Photo: Reuters file

Jeju Air's CEO apologised for the deadly accident on South Korea's Muan International Airport that has left over a 100 people dead.

179 people were killed when an airliner landed without wheels, veering off the runway and erupting in a fireball as it slammed into a wall at the airport, the national fire agency said.

The airline's CEO, Kim E-bae, apologised for the accident, bowing deeply during a televised briefing.

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He said the cause of the crash was still unknown and that the aircraft had no record of accidents and there were no early signs of malfunction. The airline will cooperate with investigators and make supporting the bereaved its top priority, Kim said.

Taking to social media, Kim put out a formal apology over the tragic incident.

"We would like to bow our heads in apology to everyone who cares about Jeju Air. At around 9.03 am on December 29, a fire broke out while Bangkok-Muan flight 7C2216 was landing at Muan International Airport. We would like to express our deepest condolences and apology to the passengers and bereaved families who lost their lives in the accident," said Kim.

"At present, it is difficult to determine the cause of the accident and we must wait for the official investigation announcement from the relevant government agencies. Regardless of the cause of the accident, I fully feel responsibility as the CEO.

"Jeju Air will make every effort to resolve the accident quickly and provide support to the passengers' families. In addition, we will do our best to work with the government to determine the cause of the accident. Once again, we pray for the peace of those who lost their lives in the accident and express our deepest apologies to the bereaved families."

Two crew members, a man and a woman, were rescued from the tail section of the burning plane, Muan fire chief Lee Jung-hyun told a briefing. The fire was extinguished by 1pm, Lee said.

Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from the Thai capital Bangkok with 181 people on board, was attempting to land shortly after 9am (0000GMT) at the airport in the south of the country, South Korea's transport ministry said.

No abnormal conditions were reported when the aircraft left Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, said Kerati Kijmanawat, president of Airports of Thailand.

Boeing also offered condolences and said it is in touch with South Korea's Jeju Air after the deadly crash of an airliner on Sunday. The crash involved a Boeing-made 737-800, according to Jeju Air.

Investigators are looking into bird strikes and weather conditions as possible factors, Lee said. Yonhap cited airport authorities as saying a bird strike may have caused the landing gear to malfunction.

Founded in 2005, Jeju Air is a low-cost airline that operates international routes to Japan, Thailand, and the Philippines, in addition to numerous domestic flights.

With inputs from Reuters

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