Jeju Air apologizes for crash, pledges to support victims, families

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Jeju Air apologizes for crash, pledges to support victims, families

Published: 29 Dec. 2024, 17:46 Updated: 29 Dec. 2024, 20:20

SARAH CHEA
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae, center, bows his head during an emergency press conference held at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo District, western Seoul, on Dec. 29. [YONHAP]

Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae issued an apology after an airplane crash in Muan, South Jeolla, ended with at least 177 fatalities on Sunday morning.

Speaking in an emergency press conference at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo District, western Seoul, immediately after the accident, Kim said, “No [history of accidents] were reported [with the plane], and it had received regular checkups.”

“We can’t determine the exact cause of the incident at the moment but have to wait for the results of the government’s investigation,” he added. “I express the deepest apologies to all the victims and their families. Jeju Air has formed a team dedicated to supporting the families.”

When asked to clarify multiple earlier reports that the airplane was the same aircraft that had a problem and was forced to return to Kansai International Airport in Japan in November 2022, Kim denied it, saying that the two are “not related.”

The airline later in the day said it will “spare no expense to support and compensate the victims and bereaved families” of the fatal airplane crash Sunday based on a $1 billion insurance plan.

“The crashed airplane is insured by a policy that can cover up to $1 billion, so based on that, we will provide all necessary aid to the victims and their families,” Song Kyung-hoon, head of the management team at Jeju Air, said during a second emergency press conference in the afternoon.

“We dispatched some 260 employees to Muan Airport dedicated to supporting the victims and their families.”

Emergency authorities survey the site of a plane crash at Muan International Airport on Dec. 29. [YONHAP]

Jeju Air also booked accommodation in various South Jeolla regions like Muan, Gwangju and Mokpo to help the families of victims stay in the area.

“We also promise to offer all options like refunds or cancellations for Jeju Air’s upcoming flights depending on customer demand,” Song added.

The Muan-Bangkok route was a temporary promotional route for the winter season that Jeju Air intended to run from August to March next year. The airline operates two aircraft on the route, with the crashed one was in operation four times in a week.

The airplane in question was a Boeing 737-800 made in November 2009 that Jeju Air had been operating since February 2017. The airline currently operates 41 jets, 39 of which are the 737-800 model.

Korea has a total of 101 737-800 aircraft running currently, particularly popular among low-cost budget carriers. T’way Air owns 27 units while Jin Air has 19, Easter Jet has 10, Air Incheon has four and Korean Air has two, according to data from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

The Boeing-made plane, with a length of 39.47 meters (129.5 feet) and a maximum of 189 passenger seats, has been involved in several accidents in the model’s history, including a China Eastern Airlines flight that crashed into a mountainside in the country’s southern Guangxi region in 2022 that killed 132 people.

A 737-800 jet from Alaska Airlines had to make an emergency return landing in March after smoke was detected inside the cabin.

Boeing also conveyed its condolences to the families over the accident and said it is in contact with Jeju Air regarding the crash, at the ready to offer support, according to multiple foreign reports.

Passengers make inquiries for Jeju Air flights at Gimpo International Airport on Dec. 29 after a fatal airplane crash in Muan, South Jeolla. [YONHAP]

At 9:07 a.m., Jeju Air’s Flight 7C 2216 returning from Thailand’s Bangkok carrying 181 people — 175 passengers and six flight attendants — exploded after veering off the runway and colliding with a wall at Muan International Airport

All but two out of 181 passengers and crew aboard a plane are presumed dead including two Thai nationals, according to emergency authorities.

The plane's landing gear appeared to malfunction on a second landing attempt, leading to an emergency belly landing near the end of the runway, according to authorities, as it hit the tarmac without the proper deployment and operation of the landing gear.

Although it is unclear why the landing gear seemed to have failed, local media reported that a bird strike may have been the cause.

Jeju Air also posted a notice on its website to call 080-898-1500 for all domestic customers inquiring about the incident. Those residing overseas can dial 82-1599-8629, and for those in the United States, 1-833-892-0197.

Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae, left, speaks during an emergency press conference held at the Mayfield Hotel in Gangseo District, western Seoul, on Dec. 29. [NEWS1]

Updated, Dec. 29: Added comments by Jeju Air's management team head, recast headline accordingly.

BY SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]