Jeolla Firefighters Call 2 Of The 181 Jeju Air Passengers Successfully Rescued

Jeju plane after hitting the wall/ Photo: ANTARA

JAKARTA - South Korean authorities reported that 179 people were suspected of having died in a Jeju plane crash at Muan International Airport.

"Of the 181 passengers, most of them are thought to have died, except for the two people who were rescued," said Jeolla Fire Department (damkar) official, quoting ANTARA, Sunday, December 29.

However, authorities confirmed the death toll of 122 people in the accident.

The Jeju Air plane carrying 181 passengers, including six crew members, caught fire on landing after reported problems with landing gear at around 09.07 local time in Muan Regency, 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul, South Korea's capital, according to Yonhap news agency.

The twin-engine plane, which returned from Bangkok, came off the runway, hit the fence, and hit the wall and exploded in flames.

Local media footage showed the plane slipping on the runway, shrouded in flames and debris.

A passenger and a crew member were found safe in the tail of the plane while rescue efforts were ongoing.

The majority of passengers are Korean citizens, in addition to two Thai nationals.

An airport official stated that the authorities were focusing on rescuing victims trapped in the rubble.

South Korean President Choi Sung-mok ordered a total rescue effort in response to the incident.

Choi, who took over temporary leadership amid a political crisis, held an emergency meeting to monitor the handling of the accident.

Jeju Air said in a statement that it was examining reports related to the accident.

The accident has become one of South Korea's deadliest flight incidents in recent years.

The initial fire was successfully extinguished, and an investigation into the cause of the accident is underway to determine the exact cause.