Shock grips families at S Korea's crash site

The stench of gasoline hangs over Muan International Airport. Behind a police cordon, plane seats, suitcases and twisted bits of metal are scattered, close to the wrecked fuselage of Jeju Air flight 2216.

- Agence France-Presse

The Boeing 737-800 carrying 181 people from Bangkok to South Korea crashed as it attempted an emergency landing on Sunday, smashing into a wall and bursting into flames, leaving all but two people aboard feared dead.

Hundreds of emergency workers put out the fire and combed through the wreckage, but only two people, both flight attendants, were rescued alive, with 179 confirmed dead.

By late afternoon, floodlights illuminated the twisted wreckage as a huge yellow crane lifted the fuselage, allowing officials to continue the search and rescue mission.

Behind a police cordon tape stretched across the wire fence at the edge of the runway, plane seats and other chunks of metal could be seen, offering a glimpse into the catastrophic impact of the crash.

Inside the airport terminal, family members gathered to wait for news, many looking stunned and tearful.