NewsJeju Air flight tragedy: Worst aviation accident in 30 years

Jeju Air flight tragedy: Worst aviation accident in 30 years

Tragedy struck when a Boeing 737-800 owned by Jeju Air crashed, resulting in the deaths of 151 people. The aircraft went down at Muan Airport in southwestern South Korea. The disaster of flight 2216 marks the most severe aviation accident involving South Korean airlines.

The Jeju Air plane sped down the runway at high speed, apparently with the landing gear retracted, and collided head-on with a concrete wall on the outskirts of the facility, bursting into flames.
The Jeju Air plane sped down the runway at high speed, apparently with the landing gear retracted, and collided head-on with a concrete wall on the outskirts of the facility, bursting into flames.
Images source: © Getty Images | NurPhoto

According to South Korea's Ministry of Transport, the Muan airport crash is the most tragic aviation accident involving South Korean airlines in almost thirty years.

As Reuters reported, there were 181 people on board the plane. According to the latest data, the number of casualties has already exceeded 177.

What we know about Jeju Air

The aircraft belonged to the South Korean airline Jeju Air. It is the first and largest low-cost carrier in South Korea. It is also a founding member of the Value Alliance, which brings together low-cost airlines.

The British consulting firm Skytrax awarded Jeju Air three stars (on a five-point scale). In 2024, Jeju Air was recognized as number one in the low-cost airline category in the National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI). According to data from July 2024, Jeju Air transported about 4.33 million international passengers in the first half of the year.

The airline was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Jeju. They have a fleet of 42 aircraft. According to airline information from 2024, their fleet consists solely of aircraft manufactured by the American company Boeing.

The main fleet comprises medium-range aircraft, Boeing 737-800. The plane that crashed at Muan Airport, according to the Korean Ministry of Transport, was manufactured in 2009.

Two aviation accidents recorded by Jeju Air

According to information from Reuters, since the founding of Jeju Air, there have been two aviation accidents, including the tragic flight 2216 on December 29, 2024.

The previous accident occurred in 2007 during landing at Gimhae Airport in Busan, South Korea. There were no fatalities then (there were 74 passengers and 5 crew members on board). Only six passengers sustained minor injuries.

Investigators are currently analyzing possible causes of the December 29, 2024, crash, including bird involvement and weather conditions. The Yonhap News Agency cited airport information suggesting a bird strike could have caused a landing gear failure.

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