Egypt extends condolences to South Korea over deadly plane crash

Ahram Online , Sunday 29 Dec 2024

Egypt extended its condolences to South Korea over the plane crash which occurred southwest of the capital Seoul early on Sunday, according to a press statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

Firefighters and rescue personnel carry the body of a victim near the scene where a Jeju Air Boeing
Firefighters and rescue personnel carry the body of a victim near the scene where a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 series aircraft crashed and burst into flames at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, some 288 kilometres southwest of Seoul. AFP

 

The aircraft, operated by Jeju Air, flight 2216, was carrying 181 people from Bangkok to South Korea when it crashed upon arrival at 9:03 am local time (0003 GMT).

The accident is believed to have resulted from a combination of a bird strike and adverse weather conditions; however, the exact cause will be confirmed following a joint investigation, according to Lee Jeong-hyun, the chief of Muan Fire Station in Muan County in South Korea.

Footage showed that once it landed on its belly at Muan International Airport, sliding off the runway with smoke billowing from its engines, before colliding with a wall and erupting into flames. It left all but two feared dead. 

In its statement, Egypt affirmed its full solidarity with the Republic of Korea, its government, and its people. It also extended condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to all those injured.

This incident marks the first fatal incident in the history of Jeju Air, a leading low-cost carrier in South Korea, established in 2005.

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