The Boeing 737-800 jet crashed at Muan International Airport at 9:07 a.m. while attempting an emergency belly landing due to an apparent landing gear failure. Most of the 181 people aboard were feared dead after it skidded off a runway and slammed into a wall, bursting into flames.
"The aircraft was continuously maintained according to our maintenance program, and there were absolutely no signs of any abnormalities," Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae said during a press briefing in Seoul.
Kim declined to speculate on the cause of the crash, saying it would be determined by government investigators.
Earlier in the day, Jeju Air issued an apology. "We deeply apologize to all those affected by the accident at Muan Airport. We will do our utmost to handle the aftermath of the accident," the company said in a statement.
Jeju Air, founded in 2005, is one of South Korea's major low-cost carriers and is affiliated with Aekyung Group.
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