Large passenger plane crashes in South Korea (VIDEO)
Nearly all of the 181 people on board are presumed dead, officials said
A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 carrying 181 people veered off the runway during landing gear malfunction and crashed into a fence in South Korea. There are only two survivors, while everyone else on board are presumed dead, national broadcaster Yonhap reported, citing firefighters. The authorities previously placed the preliminary death toll at 85.
The disaster occurred shortly after 9 am local time when a Jeju Air Flight 2216 was landing at the Muan International Airport in the southwestern part of the country. The plane was returning to South Korea from Bangkok.
A video posted to social media shows the large plane skidding off a runway and bursting into flames.
According to local media, the authorities believe that the plane was likely hit by a flock of birds, which caused its landing gear to malfunction.
The Korea Herald cited officials as saying that the plane crashed during its second attempt to land on the runway. After circling around the airport, the airliner attempted an emergency belly landing, which means landing the aircraft without the landing gear fully extended.
BREAKING: New video shows moment Boeing 737-800 plane carrying 181 people onboard crashes at Muan International Airport in South Korea.
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The aircraft has broken into pieces, with thick plumes of smoke rising from the crash site. The firefighters are working to extinguish the flames and looking for survivors in the tail section. One passenger and one crew member have been rescued so far, according to Yonhap.
The plane had 175 passengers and six crew members. Of the passengers, 173 are South Korean nationals, and two other hold Thai passports.