Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae issued an apology on Sunday and expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in a tragic plane crash earlier that day.
At least 167 people have been confirmed dead, with the death toll expected to climb, after a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, arriving from Thailand, skidded off the runway at Muan International Airport, crashed into a wall, and erupted in flames.
The CEO pledged to offer all required assistance to the victims’ families, stating, “Regardless of the cause, I take full responsibility as the CEO,” according to Yonhap News Agency.
The incident is believed to have been caused by an airstrike and severe weather conditions, which reportedly threw passengers from the plane and left it “almost completely destroyed.”
“Passengers were ejected from the aircraft after it collided with the wall, leaving little chance of survival,” a local fire official stated during a briefing to the families, according to a release from the fire brigade, as reported by AFP.
“The plane is almost completely destroyed, and identifying the deceased is proving difficult. The process is taking time as we work to locate and recover the remains,” he was quoted as saying.
Only two people, both flight attendants, survived the crash, while 167 people have been confirmed dead. The accident occurred around 9:03 am local time during the flight’s landing at Muan Airport, located approximately 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul. The plane was carrying 175 passengers, including two Thai nationals, and six crew members, according to a statement from the Ministry of Land.
A temporary morgue has been established at the airport to store the victims’ bodies. Acting President Choi Sang-mok declared Muan County a special disaster zone during his visit to the crash site, urging officials to intensify efforts in the search operations.
