This was indeed a huge tragedy to the South Korean and the world at large because a Boeing 737-800 of Jeju Air was involved in a plane crash in Muan, South Korea on Sunday. The tragic flight was enroute from Bangkok, Thailand and was scheduled for a landing at the Muan Airport. As was suggested in the first rumors, an airplane took off the runway, afterwards it crashed into a fence and exploded in flames which resulted in a terrible catastrophe.
Fatalities and Rescue Efforts
South Korea’s fire authority has estimated that a minimum of 85 people have perished with estimates pointing to 179 of the 181 onboard perishing in the disaster. The plane was transporting 175 passengers and six crew members on board. Initially, rescuers went in for the search and rescue of the trapped people but with fading chances of finding trapped survivors, the primary aim of the operation has become to look for the bodies.
Two people found breathing at the scene are receiving treatment, and 15 others perished in the tragedy. Civil authorities and rescuers are currently identifying the deceased and searching for the missing after the tragedy. Like most people, I saw grim images of black thick smoke and fire sizzling along the fuselage on local television stations, which puts into perspective that it was a disaster.
Possible Cause of the Crash
Initial probes leading to the examination of the wreckage also indicate that a bird strike might have prematurely damaged the landing gear which could have unleashed the series of failures that led to the disaster. Investigators are studying flight data and the debris in order to find out the specific causes. The weather when the crash happened was calm and this has shifted attention of researchers to either mechanical or external problems.
‘It is too early to draw conclusions and determine the cause’, a representative of the South Korean Aviation Authority added. ”Top management is considering all options such as technical problems, external factors and much more.”
When Compared with Another Recent Aviation Mishap
This now happens a week after a plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines crashed near Aktau city of Kazakhstan and 38 people out of the 67 on board died while many others were critically injured. Aviation safety professionals have called for tighter measures in safety regulation around the world and better checks on planes of similar vintage to the Boeing 737-800.
Community and Global Response
South Korean president Moon Suk-you’ll then went to the scene and offered his condolences to the families of the deceased as well as said that the government and the administration would fully cooperate in the investigation process. He also used the occasion to appeal to all citizens to conduct an overhaul on the various safety measures of aviation in the country so that such a tragedy is not repeated again.
Jeju Air, the airline of which the flight was operated, also apologized for the incident and said it would actively participate in the investigation on the incident. ”We would like to express our condolences and sympathies to the families of the victims,” the statement said.
Witness Accounts
Eyewitnesses who managed to escape shared moments before and after the tragedy. “It was horrifying when a loud noise was heard and the aircraft shook violently,” said one of the survivors. “Soon the next thing that we saw was that the cabin was filled with smoke.”
Looking Forward
While people around the world grieve over this sad loss, South Korean authorities and international bodies involved in air transport are expected to identify the cause of crash inexpensively so that necessary measures could be taken in future to prevent such incidence. The event that squashed 179 persons means that flying is still a very risky business and therefore safety regulations should not be relaxed.
