SOUTH KOREAN PLANE CRASH: Rescue Teams Rush to Scene Amid Fears of High Casualties

A Jeju Air plane, Flight 2216, crashed on December 29, 2024, at Muan International Airport in South Korea, resulting in 179 fatalities and two survivors. 

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, overshot the runway during a belly landing after its landing gear failed to deploy.

The accident occurred at around 9:03 a.m. local time, with the plane skidding down the runway without landing gear before colliding with a concrete barrier and exploding. 

The survivors, two crew members, sustained moderate to serious injuries and were rescued from the tail section of the aircraft.

An investigation into the crash is underway, with the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) leading the inquiry, assisted by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Boeing. 

The cause of the landing gear failure is still unknown, but officials have mentioned the possibility of a bird strike or adverse weather conditions.