Aircraft crashes after landing gear fails, officials say

By Park Sae-jin Posted : December 29, 2024, 10:59 Updated : December 29, 2024, 10:59
Smoke rises from a passenger aircraft that crashed while attempting to land at Muan International Airport on Dec. 29, 2024. Yonhap
SEOUL, December 29 (AJP) - The passenger aircraft that crashed at Muan International Airport on Sunday morning was attempting an emergency belly landing due to landing gear failure, airport officials said.

The Jeju Air flight 7C2216 from Bangkok, which departed at 1:30 a.m., was originally scheduled to land at 8:30 a.m. 

The Boeing 737-800 attempted an initial landing but had to abort and perform a go-around maneuver before the fatal crash occurred at 9:07 a.m., according to airport authorities.

The aircraft was unable to slow down sufficiently and collided with airport structures at the end of the runway, resulting in structural damage and a fire, an official at the scene said. 

Initial reports suggest the landing gear malfunction may have been caused by a bird strike.

The aircraft was carrying 181 people, including 175 passengers and six crew members. Multiple casualties have been reported, and the aircraft suffered severe damage in the crash and subsequent fire.

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