THIS is the horror moment a passenger jet skidded off the runway and exploded in a ball of fire, leaving 179 feared dead.
Terrible scenes unfolded in South Korea when a Boeing 737-800’s landing gear failed and the plane hit the runway at Muan International Airport on its belly.
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The plane hit the ground without landing gear falling Credit: LEE GEUN-YOUNG/KBS/UNPIXS
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The plane collided with an embankment at the end of the runwayCredit: LEE GEUN-YOUNG/KBS/UNPIXS
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Footage shows the plane exploding when it hit a wall after leaving the runwayCredit: LEE GEUN-YOUNG/KBS/UNPIXS
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After the plane crash, a burning wreckage was left Credit: Reuters
The official death toll in the crash is 176 – but only two people out of 181 passengers and crew are believed to have survived.
Footage showed the doomed flight’s final moments as it skidded off the runway, hit an embankment and exploded in a fireball.
The overcrowded jet – Jeju Air flight 7C2216 – was carrying 181 people to the southwestern city of Muan from Bangkok, Thailand.
Firefighters said two crew members miraculously survived after being pulled from the back of the plane.
The remaining 179 are presumed dead, with the confirmed death toll steadily rising as bodies are pulled from the smoldering wreckage.
Some 82 of the confirmed dead are men and 83 women, while 11 cannot be identified because their bodies are too badly burned.
Tearful families were seen gathering at an airport as South Korea faces its worst air disaster in decades.
The black box flight recorder was recovered from the wreckage and officials are investigating the cause of the disaster.
Terrifying footage showed the jet landing on its belly without wheels.
He slides off the runway as smoke billows out from under him, before crashing into a wall and exploding into flames.
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Fire crews say the crash was so violent that the plane was “almost completely destroyed.”
Passengers and crew were ejected from the plane after it collided with an airport barrier and exploded – leaving little chance of survival, the South Jeolla Fire Department said.
A fire service spokesman said: “The aircraft is almost completely destroyed and identification of the deceased is difficult.
“The process is ongoing as we locate and recover the remains.”
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Investigators recovered a black box from the wreckageCredit: AP
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Jeju Air executives apologized to the victims and their familiesCredit: AP
Most of the passengers were Koreans who were on a Christmas package in Thailand.
Muan International Airport is located in Muan County, about 279 miles southwest of Seoul.
The accident happened at 9.03am local time on Sunday – just after midnight UK time.
Soldiers and emergency services are now combing the runway and surrounding fields for clues to the cause of the crash.
Lee Jeong-hyun, head of the Muan Fire Station, said during a briefing, “The cause of the accident is believed to be a bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions.
“However, the exact cause will be released following a joint investigation.”
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Soldiers check for debris in a field near the wreck Credit: Getty
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A passenger’s relative cries after the accident Credit: Reuters
Low-cost carrier Jeju Air apologized to officials who bowed before the cameras and promised to do everything they could to help.
The airline said in a statement: “We at Jeju Air will do everything in our power to respond to this accident.
“We sincerely apologize for causing concern.”
There were 175 passengers and six crew members on the plane.
Lee Hyeon-ji, an emergency response team officer at the local fire department, said they evacuated the two surviving crew members from the back of the jet.
In the early stages of the investigation, the reason why the undercarriage did not open remains a mystery.
The pilot called for help five minutes before landing and one minute after the bird strike.
It is not clear why a bird strike would affect the wheel’s ability to move.
The official said it was “unlikely” that the short runway caused the disaster after the plane skidded off the end and hit a wall.
They said: “The runway is 2,800 meters long, and aircraft of a similar size fly on it without any problems.”
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The plane remained in the damaged wreckage after the crash Credit: Reuters
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Fire engines work to extinguish a fire at Muan International Airport in Muan, South KoreaCredit: AP
Boeing said it was in contact with Jeju Air and was “ready to support them”.
The fire agency said it mobilized 32 fire engines and dozens of firefighters to the scene.
Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok, who only took office on Friday, called an emergency cabinet meeting and headed to the scene of the disaster.
He said: “I believe no words of comfort would be enough for the grieving families who have suffered this tragedy.
“The entire government is working closely to deal with the consequences of the accident, devoting all available resources, making every effort to ensure thorough support for the bereaved families.”
It is the first fatal accident in the history of Jeju Air, one of South Korea’s largest low-cost carriers, which was founded in 2005.
On August 12, 2007, a Jeju Air Bombardier Q400 carrying 74 passengers skidded off the runway due to strong winds at the southern Busan-Gimhae Airport, resulting in a dozen injuries.
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The plane exploded into a fireball after crashing into a wallCredit: AFP
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Smoke can be seen billowing from the site
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Fire officials said the fire has been extinguished
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