King and Queen ‘profoundly saddened’ by South Korea plane crash

Sunday 29 December 2024 4:33 pm
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Sunday 29 December 2024 4:35 pm

The Prime Minister and the King have paid condolences to family members of the 179 individuals killed within the South Korea airplane crash.

The Jeju Air passenger airplane was carrying 181 individuals when it skidded off a runway at Muan Worldwide Airport, slammed right into a concrete fence and burst into flames after its entrance touchdown gear apparently didn’t deploy, officers mentioned.

The nation’s nationwide hearth company mentioned 85 girls, 84 males and 10 others whose genders weren’t instantly identifiable died within the hearth on the airport within the city of Muan, about 180 miles south of Seoul.

Emergency staff pulled two individuals, each crew members, to security and native well being officers mentioned they continue to be acutely aware.

The airplane was a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet that was getting back from Bangkok, Thailand, and the crash occurred at 9.03am native time, the transport ministry reported.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer mentioned in a press release: “I ship my deepest condolences to the victims and households of those that misplaced their lives within the tragic airplane crash in Muan.

“I pay tribute to the work of the emergency responders and my ideas are with the individuals of the Republic of Korea and Thailand at this horrible time.”

The King mentioned he and the Queen will probably be holding the households and family members of those that died of their prayers.

He mentioned: “My spouse and I have been profoundly saddened to study of the horrific air accident at Muan, which resulted in such grievous lack of life.

“Because the individuals of the Republic of Korea mourn this catastrophe, the households and family members of all of the victims are in our prayers.”

On Sunday morning, International Secretary David Lammy posted on X, previously Twitter: “Deeply saddened by information of the airplane crash in a single day in South Korea.

“My heartfelt condolences exit to the individuals of South Korea and Thailand, and all people who have misplaced family members.”

Footage of the crash aired by YTN tv confirmed the airplane skidding throughout the airstrip, apparently with its touchdown gear nonetheless closed, and colliding head-on with a concrete wall on the outskirts of the power.

Different native TV stations aired footage displaying thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the airplane, which was engulfed in flames.

Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the Muan hearth station, informed a televised briefing that the airplane was destroyed, with solely the tail meeting remaining recognisable among the many wreckage.

He mentioned staff are wanting into numerous prospects for the reason for the crash, together with whether or not the plane was struck by birds.

Marco Chan, a senior lecturer in aviation operations at Buckinghamshire New College, mentioned in his evaluation of the crash: “Proof suggests the plane encountered a flock of birds throughout its strategy, resulting in suspected fowl ingestion into the engines.

“Witnesses reported listening to explosions and seeing flames from the right-hand engine, indicating potential harm. This harm might have prompted a hydraulic system failure, which may clarify the lack to deploy the touchdown gear.

“A fowl strike warning was issued at 08.57 native time, solely six minutes earlier than the crash. The crew declared Mayday at 08.58 and tried to land on the other runway 19.

“This tight timeline probably constrained the crew’s capability to troubleshoot successfully and assess all choices, together with attainable diversion to an alternate airport with an extended runway.

“The lack to deploy the touchdown gear compelled the crew to try a stomach touchdown on Muan’s 2,800-metre runway.”

It was initially prompt hostile climate contributed to the incident however a METAR information aviation climate report signifies there was clear visibility, mild winds and no vital climate situations on the time, Mr Chan added.

He mentioned: “The Boeing 737-800 is a dependable and widely-used plane, and this crash seems to consequence from an unlucky chain of occasions relatively than a systemic design flaw. The findings from the investigation will present vital classes for stopping comparable tragedies sooner or later.

“Our ideas are with the household and pals of all crew and passengers on Jeju Air flight 7C-2216 and the aviation trade should study classes from this tragic incident.”

Jeju Air issued a press release expressing its “deep apology” over the crash and mentioned it’ll do its “utmost to handle the aftermath of the accident”.

It is without doubt one of the deadliest disasters in South Korea’s aviation historical past.

The final time South Korea suffered a large-scale air catastrophe was in 1997, when a Korean Airline airplane crashed in Guam, killing 228 individuals on board.

In 2013, an Asiana Airways airplane crash-landed in San Francisco, killing three and injuring roughly 200.

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