Which Jeju Air flight crashed at Muan International Airport in South Korea on December 29, 2024, killing 179 people?

On December 29, 2024, Jeju Air Flight 2216 tragically crashed at Muan International Airport in South Korea, claiming the lives of 179 people. This flight, a scheduled international passenger service from Bangkok, Thailand, experienced a catastrophic bird strike during its approach. Both engines ingested birds, leading to an apparent loss of thrust in one engine. The pilots issued a mayday and attempted a go-around. On the subsequent landing attempt, the landing gear failed to deploy, resulting in a belly landing that overran the runway.

The Boeing 737-800 then collided at high speed with a concrete berm encasing an instrument landing system (ILS) antenna array at the end of the runway, leading to a fiery crash. Out of 181 occupants, only two cabin crew members survived, having been seated in the rear section of the plane which detached upon impact. This incident marked the first fatal accident in Jeju Air's history and became the deadliest aviation disaster involving a South Korean airliner since 1997.

Subsequent investigations have brought forth significant details and controversies. Reports indicated that the high death toll may have been exacerbated by the concrete structure the aircraft struck, which some research suggested did not meet international safety guidelines for runway end safety areas. Furthermore, an interim report suggested that the pilots might have inadvertently shut down the less damaged engine after the bird strike, a finding that was met with strong objections from the victims' families who felt it placed undue blame on the flight crew without fully exploring other contributing factors. The investigation into the full circumstances of this devastating accident continues to unfold.