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Thai authorities attempting to verify identities of fellow nationals in Jeju Air crash

Published: 29 Dec. 2024, 16:23

LIM JEONG-WON
[email protected]

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

Thai authorities said they are trying to confirm the identities of the two Thai nationals on board the Jeju Air passenger plane that crashed at Muan International Airport on Sunday morning, killing almost everyone on board.

At around 9:03 a.m. Sunday, Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft returning from Bangkok, Thailand, exploded after crash-landing on the runway at Muan International Airport. A total of 122 people were confirmed dead as of 3:40 p.m., but authorities believe all but two of the 181 passengers and crew on board were killed.

Korean nationals accounted for 179 of the 181. Two Thai passengers were also reported to be on board, though they have yet to be identified among the bodies. Korean authorities have had trouble identifying victims due to the severity of the fire and damage from the crash.

The Thai embassy in Korea reported the accident to Bangkok, according to local media outlets such as Thai PBS and The Nation.

The Thai Foreign Ministry also said the identities and conditions of the two Thai passengers have yet to be confirmed and that the embassy is cooperating with Korean authorities to verify them as soon as possible. It added that the Thai Embassy would closely monitor the situation and immediately report any developments as necessary.

Local media outlets, including the Bangkok Post, The Nation and Thai PBS, quickly reported the news of the disaster as top online articles.

BY LIM JEONG-WON [[email protected]]