179 Dead After Jeju Air Plane Crashes Upon Landing in S. Korea

Bird strike, weather conditions cited as likely causes; seven-day mourning period declared

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SEOUL - A Jeju Air plane carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea crashed on arrival on Dec 29, smashing into a barrier and bursting into flames, leaving all but two dead, reported AFP.

South Korean Acting President Choi Sang-mok has declared a seven-day national mourning period until Jan 4, following an emergency meeting.

A bird strike and adverse weather conditions were cited by the authorities as likely causes of the crash that flung passengers out of the plane and left it "almost completely destroyed", according to fire officials.

A video showed the Jeju Air plane from Bangkok landing on its belly at Muan International Airport, skidding off the runway as smoke streamed out from the engines, before crashing into a wall and exploding in flames.

"Passengers were ejected from the aircraft after it collided with the wall, leaving little chance of survival," a local fire official told families at a briefing, according to a statement by the fire brigade.

"The plane is almost completely destroyed, and identifying the deceased is proving difficult. The process is taking time as we locate and recover the remains," he was quoted as saying.

In a statement late on Dec 29, a spokesperson for Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it is in touch with the Korean authorities and that there were no reports of Singaporeans on the flight.

"We convey our deepest condolences to the government of the Republic of Korea and to the families and loved ones of those that have perished. We wish the survivors a full recovery," the spokesperson said.