Death toll rises to 85 after plane crashes at South Korean airport

SEOUL — At least 85 people died when a commercial airplane crashed Sunday at a South Korean airport due to an apparent bird strike, adverse weather conditions and landing gear malfunction, officials said.

The Jeju Air flight veered off a runway while landing at Muan International Airport and caught fire after the crash, a spokesperson for the country’s National Fire Agency said.

The flight, which originated from Bangkok, was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, the spokesperson said. At least two of the passengers were Thai, said Joo Jong-wan, director of the Aviation Policy Division at South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

“We suspect that the accident may have been due to the breakdown in the malfunctioning landing gear,” Lee Jung-hyun, the head of the Muan Fire Department, said at a briefing. Lee said a bird strike and adverse weather also appeared to have played a role but cautioned that the exact cause is still under investigation.

Of those killed, at least 45 were female and 35 were male, Lee said. Additional information about the dead was not immediately released.

Two people — one passenger and one crew member — were rescued, the fire agency spokesperson said. Ninety-four remain missing, the agency said.

The crash happened around 9:03 a.m. local time (7:03 p.m. ET Saturday), Lee said. Firefighters put out the initial blaze at 9:46 a.m. local time, the fire agency spokesperson said.

In a statement, Jeju Air extended its apologies to “everyone affected” by the incident.

“First and foremost, we are fully committed to managing and addressing the aftermath of this incident with the utmost effort,” the airline said. “We sincerely apologize for any distress or concern this has caused.”

South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, called for immediate and full mobilization efforts “to put out the fire and rescue people,” the Ministry of Interior and Safety in a statement.

The presidential office said in a text briefing that an emergency meeting was being held over the crash.

In a statement, the country’s national defense ministry said it convened an emergency response team and deployed military personnel and equipment to the site to provide support.

Choi later arrived to the site and was expected to chair a meeting to oversee response efforts, Park Sang-woo, the minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said.

“Moving forward, the government will focus on rescuing survivors, managing the recovery of victims, preparing funeral arrangements, providing comfort and support to the bereaved families, and offering clear explanations about the situation,” Park Sang-woo, the minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said.

Lee, the Muan Fire Department head, said 700 personnel members were conducting search and recovery efforts. The deceased were temporarily being moved to a mortuary, Lee said.

The airport is about 180 miles south of Seoul.