Pictured: Youngest victim of South Korean plane crash on first trip abroad
The plane from Thailand was coming in to land at Muan International Airport when the pilot issued a mayday call before belly-landing and skidding along the runway. It then crashed into a barrier and burst into flames.
Two survivors, both flight attendants, were pulled from the wreckage.
South Korea is observing seven days of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who has only been in office since Friday, described the crash as a “turning point” for the country. He called for a review and full overhaul of air safety systems.
He said officials must “thoroughly re-examine the overall aircraft operation system … and immediately address any necessary improvements”.
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Speaking on Tuesday as 2024 drew to a close, Choi also urged citizens to “reflect on the past year and prepare for the new one”.
He added: “I am well aware that whenever challenges arose, both domestically and internationally, all citizens and public officials united with one heart and mind to overcome these crises.”
On Monday, South Korean broadcaster KBC News reported that one family lost nine members in the crash, including the oldest passenger on the plane, 78-year-old Bae Yung.
Bae was travelling abroad for the first time to celebrate his birthday. He was with his wife, two daughters, a son-in-law, and four grandchildren, one of whom was just five years old.
Firefighters and rescue teams at the plane wreckage at Muan International Airport, South Korea.Credit: Getty Images
His other son-in-law was unable to join the trip and is now one of the few surviving members of the family.
“I should have gone with them and died with them,” he said, according to the head of the village where the family came from.
Korean nationals were not the only victims. They also included Sirithon Cha-ue, a Thai woman whose story quickly spread across the country’s social media hours after she was reported dead.
A relative of a passenger at Muan International Airport on December 30, 2024.Credit: Getty Images
The 22-year-old had won a scholarship to become a flight attendant and had only three months left before graduation, her uncle said. She had been returning to South Korea after visiting her mother in Thailand.
Meanwhile, grieving families remained at the airport, frustrated by the delay in retrieving the remaining bodies.
It came as another Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 experienced a mechanical issue shortly after take-off on Monday, increasing safety concerns.
On Tuesday, the chief executive of the airline said the company would reduce its air traffic this winter by 10 to 15 per cent while it carried out more maintenance work on its planes.
Telegraph, London
