The death toll from a devastating plane crash in South Korea has risen to 179, confirming that all passengers and four of the six crew members aboard the flight have tragically lost their lives.
Two crew members were rescued alive from the crash site and taken to the hospital. This means the fate of all 181 people on board the Jeju Air flight is now known.
The ill-fated flight, a Boeing 737-800 jet, had departed from Bangkok, Thailand, before attempting an emergency landing at an airport in Muan, South Korea.
Video footage of the crash captured the plane skidding along the runway without deploying its landing gear before colliding with a concrete wall and erupting into flames. The impact left much of the plane destroyed, with only the tail section still recognizable amidst the wreckage.
Local reports, including those from the BBC, revealed a chilling detail: one of the passengers sent a text message to a family member shortly before the crash. The message mentioned a bird being “stuck in the wing” of the plane and ended with the haunting words, “Should I leave my last words?” Tragically, this was the final message they sent.
An initial investigation into the crash confirmed that air traffic control had issued a bird strike warning to the flight as it was attempting to land. Moments later, the plane issued a mayday signal and was granted permission to land. However, the aircraft made contact with the ground without deploying its landing gear, skidded across the runway, and slammed into the wall.
The plane’s black box has been recovered and will provide crucial data to investigators seeking to determine the events leading up to the crash.
In response to the tragedy, the South Korean government has declared a seven-day period of mourning. Families of the victims, many of whom had gathered at Muan International Airport, have been informed of the devastating outcome.
The runway will remain closed until New Year’s Day.
Authorities reported that the two surviving crew members suffered “moderate to severe” injuries. Among the deceased passengers, the youngest was just three years old, while the oldest was 78. Five children under the age of 10 were on board the flight.
While investigators are considering bird strikes or weather conditions as potential causes of the crash, the exact reason has yet to be determined.
