A tragic plane crash in South Korea has left at least 124 people dead, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue operations continue.
The incident involved a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 aircraft carrying 180 passengers and crew, which burst into flames early Sunday morning at Muan International Airport, approximately 290 kilometers from Seoul.
The 15-year-old aircraft was returning from Bangkok, Thailand, and included two Thai nationals among its passengers.
According to officials, the plane skidded off the runway upon landing and crashed into a concrete fence when its front landing gear failed to deploy. The resulting impact caused a massive explosion, leaving the aircraft engulfed in flames.
Rescue workers reported that 57 women, 54 men, and others whose genders were not immediately identified were among the dead. Thick black smoke continues to billow from the wreckage as emergency teams search for more bodies strewn across the site.
Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of Muan Fire Station, described the devastation, stating that the aircraft was completely destroyed, with only the tail assembly remaining recognisable among the wreckage.
