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By Anton Homma - B738-JEJ-HL8088-FUK14mar23, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=157250275
01 Jan 2025

Chaotic emergency response looking for survivors after South Korea plane crash kills 179

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On December 29, 2024, Jeju Air Flight 2216, a scheduled international passenger flight from Bangkok to Muan, South Korea, tragically crashed after experiencing a bird strike during its approach to Muan International Airport. 

The Boeing 737-800 failed to deploy its landing gear during the second landing attempt, belly landing beyond the normal touchdown zone before overrunning the runway and colliding with a berm. The crash resulted in the deaths of 175 passengers and 4 crew members. Of the 6 crew members on board, only 2 survived, sustaining injuries. This incident marked the deadliest aviation disaster involving a South Korean airliner.

From a first responder's perspective, the crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 on December 29, 2024, presented an intense and chaotic response scenario. The flight, which was en route from Bangkok to Muan County, South Korea, had suffered a bird strike, leading to a mayday alert and a go-around attempt. Unfortunately, during the second landing attempt, the Boeing 737-800 failed to deploy its landing gear and belly-landed beyond the designated touchdown zone. The plane then overran the runway and collided with a berm supporting an antenna array, resulting in a devastating crash.

Upon arrival at the scene, first responders were confronted with a large-scale emergency involving multiple fatalities, as well as the challenge of reaching and rescuing survivors. The crash had caused significant damage, including the detachment of the rear section of the aircraft, where two cabin crew members survived but sustained injuries. Emergency services had to act quickly to extricate the survivors from the wreckage, which involved overcoming hazards such as fire and debris.

Given the scale of the disaster, which killed 175 passengers and 4 crew members, the response included coordination between fire, medical, and search teams. The immediate priority was to secure the scene, provide medical care to the injured survivors, and recover the bodies of those who had perished. The crash marked the deadliest aviation accident in South Korea’s history, making it an overwhelming and tragic incident for first responders, local authorities, and the community.

The authorities and investigation teams also had to quickly assess the cause of the accident, which involved a combination of aviation, medical, and engineering expertise. Given the severity of the crash, the response was a complex and highly coordinated effort to manage both the immediate and long-term aftermath.

 

Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons License
Boeing 737-8AS aircraft by Jeju Air, photographed in 2023 at Fukuoka Airport. Registration HL8088
By: Anton Homma - B738-JEJ-HL8088-FUK14mar23
  • CC BY-SA 2.0
  • File:Boeing 737 Jeju Air at Fukuoka Airport.jpg
  • Created: 14 March 2023
  • Uploaded: 30 December 2024
By B738-JEJ-HL8088-FUK14mar23, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=157250275

 

Read more from the following sources: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeju_Air_Flight_2216

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn9g40v898do

https://edition.cnn.com/world/live-news/south-korea-plane-crash-12-29-24-intl-h…