Last Text from Passenger on Muan Airport Accident Flight: "A Bird Got Stuck"

Passenger Text: "A Bird Got Caught in the Wing, Unable to Land"

On the 29th, a Jeju Air passenger plane carrying 181 people crashed at Muan International Airport in Jeonnam, resulting in multiple casualties. It was revealed through a passenger's text message that the aircraft experienced a bird strike just before landing. The exact cause of the accident has not yet been determined.

News1 reported the words of Mr. A, who was waiting for family members aboard the accident aircraft at Muan Airport. He told reporters, "I have not been able to contact my family since the last message saying there was a problem with the plane."

On the morning of the 29th, an aircraft landing at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do veered off the runway and collided with the outer fence wall. The photo shows the fire department conducting a rescue operation at the accident site. Photo by Yonhap News

Passenger Mr. B sent a message to Mr. A around 9 a.m., saying, "A bird got caught in the wing, so we can't land." When Mr. A asked, "Since when?" Mr. B replied a minute later, "Just now, do I need to say my last words?" and has not been reachable since.

There were also eyewitness accounts suggesting engine abnormalities after the bird strike. Yonhap News quoted Mr. Jeong (50), who was fishing near the airport's seaside at the time of the accident. Mr. Jeong testified that some birds appeared to be sucked into the engine, followed by 2 to 3 'pops' and flames visible from the right engine. The aircraft collided head-on with a flock of birds flying from the opposite direction while descending to land on the runway.

On the morning of the 29th, an aircraft landing at Muan International Airport in Jeollanam-do veered off the runway and collided with the outer fence wall. The photo shows the fire department conducting a rescue operation at the accident site. Photo by Yonhap News.

According to Korea Airports Corporation and Jeonnam Fire Headquarters, at around 9:07 a.m., Jeju Air flight 7C2216 from Bangkok, Thailand, attempted a belly landing on the runway at Muan Airport without landing gear, resulting in the accident. The plane failed to reduce speed until reaching the runway end, overshot the runway, collided with airport structures, and the fuselage was damaged, causing a fire. The aircraft was severely damaged.

The belly landing was presumed to be due to landing gear failure. The cause of the landing gear failure is believed to be a bird strike. Fire authorities dispatched 32 vehicles and 80 firefighters, extinguishing the fire around 9:46 a.m.

The aircraft involved was a B737-800, carrying a total of 181 people, including 175 passengers and 6 crew members. Among them, 173 passengers were Korean and 2 were Thai.

As of 11:30 a.m., 47 passengers were confirmed dead, and most of the remaining were seriously injured. Authorities rescued one passenger and one crew member and urgently transported them to a nearby hospital. The number of casualties is expected to rise when including those seated in the front and middle sections of the aircraft.

Authorities have set up a temporary morgue at the site. Police and fire departments are currently assessing the exact scale of casualties.