Air crash investigators will have several questions regarding about Jeju Air Flight 2216, a Boeing 737-800 has crashed at Muan International Airport, resulting in the deaths of resulting in 179 of the 181 occupants.
They include how a bird strike resulted in such a tragic incident, the runway approach, the failure to deploy landing gear and the design of the landing area that allowed the aircraft to strike a perimeter wall after overshooting the runway by 250 metres.
The aircraft involved in the accident was a Boeing 737-8AS, manufactured in 2009 and registered as HL8088, originally delivered to Ryanair (in September 2009 as EI-EFR before joining 7C’s fleet in 2017.
Just two days before the crash on December 27, 2024, the same aircraft was involved in an emergency diversion to Incheon International Airport due to a medical emergency with a passenger during Flight 8135.
The crew of Flight 8135 declared an emergency by squawking 7700 on the transponder, highlighting the urgent nature of the situation.
This incident raises concerns regarding aviation safety, emergency response, and the operational history of Jeju Air’s fleet.
This incident marked the deadliest aviation-related event for a South Korean airline since Air China Flight 129.
eju Air CEO Kim E-bae issued a public apology, pledging to support victims’ families and assist investigations.
It was the first fatal incident in Jeju Air’s 19-year operational history, raising significant concerns about airline safety.
Jeju Air Flight 2216 departed from Suvarnabhumi Airport and, after carrying 181 occupants, crashed at Muan International Airport at 09:07 UTC+9 due to a landing gear failure suspected to be caused by adverse weather and a bird strike.
The aircraft attempted a belly landing, overshot the runway, and collided with an embankment carrying the ILS array, resulting in a significant explosion that nearly completely destroyed the plane.
Emergency services were activated shortly before the crash, responding with a level-3 alert and deploying over 1,500 personnel, including firefighters and police, to manage the situation.
As recovery operations commenced, emergency personnel had recovered 96 bodies by 14:22 UTC+9, with efforts ongoing to search for additional victims from the wreckage.
The passengers on Jeju Air Flight 2216 were returning from a five-day Christmas package tour in Bangkok, with the flight chartered by the travel agency.
Among the 181 occupants, the oldest passenger was born in 1946 and the youngest in 2021, with at least 124 confirmed dead following the crash.Two survivors, both flight attendants, were rescued from the rear of the aircraft and were conscious, though they suffered moderate to serious injuries.
