December 29th 2024.
As the day wears on, the families of those who were onboard the tragic Jeju Air flight 7C2216 are facing the heartbreaking reality that there are no more survivors. The flight, which had taken off from Bangkok, Thailand, was supposed to land at Muan International Airport in South Korea. However, it ended in a devastating belly landing, skidding into a concrete wall and bursting into flames. Out of the 181 people onboard, only two crew members, a man and a woman, managed to survive. They were rescued from the inferno and are currently receiving medical treatment for their injuries.
The surviving man, a 33-year-old flight attendant, suffered multiple fractures, while the 25-year-old woman sustained injuries to her ankle and head. At the airport, families of the victims waited anxiously for news of their loved ones. The sound of wailing could be heard as officials announced the names of some of the identified victims. To give the families some privacy, several yellow tents were set up. It was a heart-wrenching scene as the families grieved for their loved ones who didn't make it.
Amidst the chaos and sadness, one man, 78-year-old Maeng Gi-su, shared his heartbreaking story with the BBC. His nephew and two grandsons were onboard the flight, returning from a trip to Thailand where they had gone to celebrate the youngest son's college entrance exams. Mr. Gi-su couldn't believe that his entire family had disappeared in an instant. He was overwhelmed with grief and pain.
Another woman, who only gave her surname as Kim, spoke to South Korea's Yonhap news agency about her sister who was on the flight. She shared that her sister had gone through many hardships and had finally started to see her life improving. So she decided to go on a trip to Thailand, not knowing it would be her last.
And there was Jo, a 68-year-old woman, who tearfully shared that she had lost her younger sister in the crash. Her sister had gone to heaven that day and her heart was filled with pain and sorrow. An elderly man, who didn't want to reveal his name, told a reporter that he had lost his son in the crash. The pain and grief were palpable in his voice.
As the families mourned the loss of their loved ones, the country declared a seven-day mourning period to honor the victims. In Thailand, a cousin of one of the Thai passengers, Jongluk Doungmanee, was saddened and shocked by the news. She shared that Jongluk was a mother of two and had been living in South Korea for five years with her Korean husband. They had just returned from a two-week trip to Chiang Mai, and her husband had already gone back home. Jongluk's flight was supposed to take her back to her family, but it ended in tragedy.
At a press conference, the president of Jeju Air, Kim E-bae, along with other senior company officials, bowed deeply as they expressed their apologies to the bereaved families. Kim took full responsibility for the incident and stated that there were no mechanical issues with the aircraft during regular checkups. He also mentioned that they would wait for the results of the government's investigation into the cause of the crash.
According to a government official, air traffic control had issued a bird strike warning, which had delayed the landing. Two minutes later, the pilot issued a Mayday call and was cleared to land from the opposite direction. However, the plane hit the runway without its wheels, skidding for some distance before crashing into a wall and causing a fiery explosion.
The victims of the crash ranged in age from three to 78, with most passengers in their 30s, 40s, or 50s. The country mourned the loss of so many lives, declaring a seven-day national mourning period starting from Sunday. Memorial altars were set up nationwide to remember and honor the victims.
This incident is the first fatal accident in the history of Jeju Air, one of South Korea's largest low-cost carriers. The airline was established in 2005 and had an excellent safety record until now. On August 12, 2007, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air had also crashed at the Busan-Gimhae airport due to strong winds, causing injuries to a dozen passengers. The nation is mourning the loss of so many lives and waiting for the results of the investigation to understand what caused this tragic event.
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