"Right Engine Flames... Loud Roar Heard" Mu-an Airport Passenger Plane Accident Eyewitness Account

"Flames Visible and Explosion Sound"

Eyewitnesses reported seeing sparks from the airplane wing and hearing a loud roar before landing in the passenger plane accident that occurred on the 29th at Muan International Airport in Jeonnam.

According to a Yonhap News report on the day, a guest staying at a pension near Muan Airport said, "I saw the plane passing over the pension, and sparks were flying from the right wing engine." He recalled the situation, saying, "I was telling my family that something was wrong when I heard an explosion."

Jo (24) said, "I noticed the plane attempting to descend before the accident and thought it was landing, but the lights flashed." At the time, Jo was taking a walk in a village in Cheonggye-myeon, about 4.5 km in a straight line from the airport. He added, "Then I heard a loud roar once, smoke appeared, and explosions were heard in succession."

Passenger plane accident site at Muan International Airport, Jeonnam, on the morning of the 29th Photo by Yonhap News

Jo, who drove toward the direction of the sound, said, "The airplane wing was facing upward, and the smoke was severe," adding, "There was no vehicle control yet, but seeing ambulances arriving one after another, I left the scene fearing it might interfere with the rescue."

A resident of a village 2 km from the accident site said, "The plane tried to land but went back up into the sky, circled once, and attempted to land again," adding, "Then there was a bang, and black smoke rose into the air."

According to airport authorities, at around 9:07 a.m. that day, Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 from Bangkok, Thailand, attempted to land on the runway at Muan International Airport but crashed. When the first landing attempt was unsuccessful, the aircraft went around and tried to land again but collided with the outer wall of the runway, causing a fire.

The police and fire authorities are investigating the exact circumstances, including the possibility that the landing gear did not deploy during landing, leading to a belly landing attempt, and the possibility of a bird strike.