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Family members cry out for loved ones at Jeju Air crash site

Published: 29 Dec. 2024, 18:19

LIM JEONG-WON
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A bereaved family member of the passengers on board the Jeju Air flight that crashed at Muan International Airport breaks down in tears at the waiting room of the airport after hearing news of the confirmed deaths on Dec. 29. [YONHAP]

Family members of passengers gathered in the waiting room on the first floor of Muan International Airport after the crash were seen sobbing with bloodshot eyes, crying out for their loved ones since they were first informed of the news in the morning.

“My son, daughter-in-law and grandchild were all on the plane that crashed,” said Choi Soon-ok, 64, who was in tears. “How could they all go like this, not even one but all three?

“My daughter-in-law was a Jeju Air employee and she and the family went on a trip to Thailand for vacation,” Choi continued. “We talked on the phone last night when they told me they were leaving to come back home.”

“My sister was on that plane,” another bereaved family member, a woman surnamed Kim, 33, said, sobbing. “She was always so hardworking and this was a vacation for her, and now she’s gone.”

In the waiting room, a swarm of other families waiting for any news of their loved ones were all crying or trying to console each other.

“What can we do?” a woman in her 50s cried, repeating over and over again “what should we do” to other family members who were trying to calm her.

The families, more than 100 people in total, gathered in the waiting room at the airport at around 1 p.m. Sunday, four hours after the accident. As soon as Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the South Jeolla Muan Fire Department, finished saying “most of the 181 passengers on the plane are presumed dead,” the waiting room turned into a sea of tears.

“Is there no chance of finding more survivors?” one of the family members asked, in disbelief, and Lee lowered his head and replied “unfortunately, that is what the situation is telling us.”

A woman who had been waiting for news of her daughter collapsed, unconscious, as Lee said these words, while a man shouted out, “How?” in frustration.

When names of five more identified victims were called out at around 2:40 p.m., the families of those identified cried out their names and fell to the floor in shock.

Families of those on board the Jeju Air flight that crashed at Muan International Airport watch the news on a television screen at the waiting room of the airport on Dec. 29. [YONHAP]

The bereaved families also protested as the authorities delayed the process of recovering the bodies and identifying them.

“How can it be that we haven’t even identified the deceased for over eight hours since the accident?” one of the bereaved families cried out in frustration. “It seems like there is no accident response headquarters, let alone a control tower.”

It was reported that many of those on board the Jeju Air 7C 2216 flight from Bangkok were on end-of-the-year family vacations. The fire authorities are currently placing the bodies of the victims in a temporary mortuary after confirming their identities. They plan to transfer them to funeral parlors after consulting with the families.

The bereaved families also made requests to Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who visited Muan International Airport to inspect the accident, such as “please inform us of the situation in real time” and “think of the families first.”

“I understand,” Choi said repeatedly in response to the families’ shouts as he bowed his head while heading out of the situation room.

BY HWANG HEE-GYU,LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]