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A jetliner skidded off a runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames Sunday in South Korea after its landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people aboard were killed in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters, officials said. The Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air plane arrived from Bangkok and crashed while attempting to land in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometers (180 miles) south of Seoul. Footage of the crash aired by South Korean television showed the plane skidding across the airstrip at high speed, evidently with its landing gear still closed, and slamming into the wall, triggering an explosion and generating plumes of thick, black smoke. The crash killed 179 people, the South Korean fire agency said. Emergency workers pulled two crew members to safety. They were conscious and did not appear to have any life-threatening injuries, health officials said. The chief of the Muan fire station, Lee Jeong-hyeon, told a televised briefing that the plane was completely destroyed, with only the tail assembly still recognizable in the wreckage. Officials were investigating the cause of the crash, including whether the aircraft was struck by birds, Lee said. The control tower issued a warning about birds to the plane shortly before it intended to land and gave the crew permission to land in a different area, Transport Ministry officials said. The crew sent out a distress signal shortly before the crash, officials said. Investigators retrieved the jet’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders, said senior Transport Ministry official Joo Jong-wan. He said it may take months to complete the probe into the crash. The runway will be closed until Jan. 1, the ministry said.<br/>

Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok on Monday ordered an emergency safety inspection of the country's entire airline operation system once the recovery work on the Jeju Air crash is finished. Korea's deadliest air accident ever killed 179 people on Sunday, when an airliner belly-landed and skidded off the end of the runway, erupting in a fireball as it slammed into a wall at Muan International Airport. The top priority for now is identifying the victims, supporting their families and treating the two survivors for which no available resources should be spared, Choi told a disaster management meeting in Seoul. "Even before the final results are out, we ask that officials transparently disclose the accident investigation process and promptly inform the bereaved families," he said."As soon as the accident recovery is conducted, the Transport Ministry is requested to conduct an emergency safety inspection of the entire aircraft operation system to prevent recurrence of aircraft accidents," he said. <br/>

The government said Monday it plans to conduct rigorous safety inspections of low-cost carrier Jeju Air following repeated landing gear issues, believed to have caused a company plane crash that claimed 179 lives the previous day. The airline is under an investigation over the crash of flight 7C2216, which veered off the runway while belly-landing and collided with a fence at Muan International Airport in Muan County, about 290 kilometers southwest of Seoul. Earlier in the day, a separate Jeju Air flight that took off from Gimpo International Airport made a return during mid-flight due to a landing gear issue that was found similarly in Sunday's crash. It was of the same Boeing B737-800 model involved in the accident. "We plan to implement rigorous aviation safety inspections in response to the (landing gear) incidents," Joo Jong-wan, aviation policy chief at the transport ministry, said during a briefing at the Sejong government complex. Joo noted that Jeju Air was known for its high aircraft utilization rate, which some observers have pointed to as a possible factor in Sunday's crash. Following the landing gear issue reported on Monday, the ministry dispatched safety inspectors to the company to investigate the latest case.<br/>

A Jeju Air flight that took off in Korea on Monday has returned to the airport of departure due to the same landing gear issue that was found in a deadly crash involving a separate aircraft of the same model the previous day, according to industry sources. Jeju Air Flight 7C101, which departed from Gimpo International Airport for Jeju at 6:37 a.m., detected an issue with its landing gear shortly after takeoff. The airline informed the 161 passengers about the mechanical defect caused by the landing gear issue and subsequently returned the flight to Gimpo at 7:25 a.m. Jeju Air plans to resume operations after switching to a replacement aircraft. Landing gear is an essential device directly related to flight safety, ensuring safe takeoffs and landings while mitigating impact during emergency landings. In Sunday's Jeju Air crash that claimed 179 lives in the southwestern county of Muan, it is believed that all three landing gears had failed to operate properly.<br/>

Uncertainty surrounds the deadliest plane crash on South Korean soil, aviation experts said on Sunday, questioning how much impact a potential bird strike cited by authorities could have had in bringing down the Jeju Air flight. The apparent absence of landing gear, the timing of the twin-engine Boeing 737-800's belly landing at Muan International Airport and the reports of a possible bird strike all raised questions that could not yet be answered. The single-aisle aircraft was seen in video broadcast on local media skidding down the runway with no landing gear deployed before hitting a wall in an explosion of flame and debris. "At this point there are a lot more questions than we have answers. Why was the plane going so fast? Why were the flaps not open? Why was the landing gear not down?" said Gregory Alegi, an aviation expert and former teacher at Italy's air force academy. South Korean officials are investigating the crash of Jeju Air Flight 7C2216, including the impact of a potential bird strike and the weather. 179 of 181 people on board died. Deputy Transport Minister Joo Jong-wan said the runway's 2,800-metre length was not a contributing factor, and that walls at the ends were built to industry standards.<br/>

A growing chorus of criticism from experts analysing the Jeju Air plane crash that killed 179 people at Muan International Airport on Sunday has focused on whether airport construction could have played a part. The Boeing 737-800 was carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea when it made a mayday call and belly-landing before crashing into a barrier and bursting into flames. Dramatic video footage of Flight 2216's landing has led experts to question if whether the wall the plane crashed into should have been there at all. Kim Kwang-il, Professor of Aeronautical Science at Silla University and a former pilot, said he was "quite upset" when he reviewed video showing the plane making a skilled emergency landing but then hitting a wall. "The structure in question caused the aircraft to crash and catch fire. Outside the airport, there are usually just fences, which are soft and wouldn't cause significant damage. The plane could have skidded further and stopped naturally. The unnecessary structure is highly regrettable." As investigators probe why the Jeju Air plane crash-landed and burst into flames, another Jeju Airlines flight using the same model aircraft experienced a malfunction linked to the landing gear and was forced to return to Seoul's Gimpo airport shortly after takeoff, the Yonhap News Agency reported. "We are aware of the return incident and looking into the cause," a Jeju Air representative told AFP. "We can't say at this moment it was related to landing gear malfunction pending an investigation."<br/>

After a plane crashed as it was landing in South Korea on Sunday, killing 179 of the 181 people on board, officials said they were investigating possible causes including a landing gear malfunction and a bird strike. While it is not uncommon for planes to strike wildlife, most episodes don’t result in deaths or serious injuries. Still, from 1988 through 2023, wildlife strikes involving civilian and military aircraft killed 76 people in the United States, according to a Federal Aviation Administration report published in June. Most of those strikes involved birds, but the F.A.A.’s definition of a wildlife strike also includes coyotes, deer and bats. In the United States in 2023, 19,603 wildlife strikes were reported, which averages out to about 54 strikes each day, according to the aviation administration’s report. Of those strikes, 3.6% caused damage. Here are some notable episodes when a bird strike was found to have contributed to an aviation accident.<br/>A Boeing 737 Max Crash in Ethiopia: The March 2019 crash of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, which killed all 157 people on board, happened less than five months after another Boeing 737 Max 8 crashed in Indonesia, killing all 189 people on board. Both crashes were attributed in part to a faulty flight control system with the 737 Max, which was temporarily grounded after the Ethiopian Airlines crash. In that latter crash, the National Transportation Safety Board said in January 2023, a bad sensor reading was caused by an object, most likely a bird. That bad reading activated the flawed flight control system called MCAS, which pitched the nose of the plane downward shortly after the plane left Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, for Nairobi, Kenya, causing the crash. ‘Miracle on the Hudson’: Shortly after a US Airways flight took off from LaGuardia Airport in January 2009, headed to Charlotte, N.C., the airplane struck a flock of geese, disabling the plane.<br/>

The Jeju Air plane that crashed in southwestern South Korea was a Boeing 737-800, a model that is used widely around the world. There are about 28,000 passenger planes in service globally, according to Cirium, an aviation data provider. About 15%, or 4,400, are Boeing 737-800s. The plane belongs to the company’s Next-Generation 737 family of jets, the precursor to the more modern 737 Max, which was involved in two fatal accidents more than five years ago that led to a global grounding of the Max fleet. Nearly 200 airlines use the 737-800, according to Cirium, including five in South Korea: Jeju Air, T’way Air, Jin air, Eastar Jet and Korean Air. The plane is popular in Asia, Europe and North America, and Boeing has delivered about 5,000 to customers since 1998. “The plane in question is very safe and has a good safety record,” said Najmedin Meshkati, a professor of engineering at the University of Southern California who has studied the safety history of the Boeing 737 line. The age of the global fleet of 737-800 planes ranges from about 5 years old to more than 27 years old. A well-maintained passenger jet can fly 20 to 30 years or even longer. According to the flight tracking website Flightradar24, the plane that crashed was 15 years old. Ryanair in Europe was the first airline to operate the aircraft, which was leased to Jeju Air in 2017 by SMBC Aviation Capital, according to Cirium. Officials said they were investigating the cause of the crash, including the possibility that a bird strike led to a landing gear malfunction. Boeing said in a statement on Sunday that it was in contact with Jeju Air and was ready to help the airline. Bird strikes are not uncommon in aviation. In some cases, they have resulted in cracked windshields. Some airports deploy falcons and take other measures to keep their skies clear of birds. Muan International Airport, where the crash occurred, uses measures such as playing audio of distress calls to disperse birds as well as shooting them, according to the Korean Office of Civil Aviation.<br/>

The leader of Azerbaijan directly blamed Russia on Sunday for the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines passenger jet last week, calling on Moscow to accept responsibility and offer compensation to victims. President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with Azerbaijan’s national broadcaster that a vague apology issued by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia a day earlier would not suffice to preserve friendly relations between the two former Soviet states. The Embraer 190 airliner was traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny in southern Russia on Wednesday, but was diverted from its path after encountering interference with its navigation systems and impact with external objects, according to Azerbaijan’s government. The plane crashed in Kazakhstan soon after, resulting in the deaths of 38 of the 67 people on board, more than half of them Azerbaijani citizens. Azerbaijani and U.S. officials, as well as international aviation experts, had said they believed that the plane was most likely shot down by a Russian air defense missile. Moscow, however, has not admitted responsibility. Aliyev’s comments on Sunday offered the most direct rebuke yet of Kremlin’s position on the crash. “We can clearly say today that the plane was shot down by Russia,” Aliyev said in the interview, according to a summary published in English by Azerbaijan’s state news agency. “First, the Russian side must apologize to Azerbaijan. Second, it must acknowledge its guilt. Third, those responsible must be punished.”<br/>

The cause of the crash of Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 on Christmas Day near the city of Aktau, Kazakhstan, is still unknown. As of Friday, flight recorders have been recovered from the scene and the investigation continues. But early indications may point to a possible cause: A US official told CNN a Russian anti-aircraft system may have downed the passenger jet. And that version of events – first floated by unnamed sources in Azerbaijan, then openly by an Azerbaijani lawmaker, Rasim Musabeyov – appears to be gaining traction, at least in international media. The official picture in Russia is somewhat different. At midday Friday, the lead news item on the tragedy on Russian state television channel Rossiya-24 noted that representatives of the aircraft manufacturer Embraer were expected to arrive in Kazakhstan, but made no mention of the possibility that the aircraft had been shot down. And Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has been tight-lipped about the disaster, in which at least 38 people died. Asked in a conference call with reporters Friday to comment on the calls by Musabeyov for a Russian apology, Peskov said: “This aviation incident is under investigation and until the conclusions are made as a result of the investigation, we do not consider ourselves entitled to give any assessments and will not do so. At the same time, we have our aviation authorities who can do this and information can only come from them. We do not consider ourselves entitled to comment on this.” Peskov’s messaging may set the tone for Russian media, but apparent evidence of a shoot-down – video footage shows perforations in the plane’s body that look similar to damage from shrapnel or debris – presents a public-relations dilemma for the Kremlin. According to preliminary data, citizens of Russia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan were on board; several international carriers have now suspended flights to Russian cities.<br/>

Two passengers on the Azerbaijan Airlines plane that crashed in Kazakhstan told Reuters that they heard at least one loud bang as it approached its original destination of Grozny in southern Russia. Flight J2-8243 crashed on Wednesday in a ball of fire near the city of Aktau in Kazakhstan after diverting from an area of southern Russia where Moscow has repeatedly used air defence systems against Ukrainian attack drones. At least 38 people were killed while 29 survived. "After the bang...I thought the plane was going to fall apart," Subhonkul Rakhimov, one of the passengers, told Reuters from hospital. He said he had begun to recite prayers and prepare for the end after hearing the bang. "It was obvious that the plane had been damaged in some way," he said. "It was as if it was drunk - not the same plane anymore." Another passenger on the plane told Reuters that she also heard a loud bang. "I was very scared," said Vafa Shabanova, adding that there was also a second bang. She was then told by a flight attendant to move to the back of the plane. Both passengers said there appeared to be a problem with the oxygen levels in the cabin after the bang. Beyond the horror of the crash, the first-person narratives from the passengers gives an insight into what may have caused the disaster.<br/>

Kazakhstan has decided to send the downed Azerbaijan Airlines flight recorders to Brazil, Kazakhstan's government sources told Euronews in a statement, in a move which indicates the country's will for full and transparent disclosure of the tragedy. In the statement, the government in Astana says it made the decision as the Azal aircraft was manufactured in Brazil and comes after "after consultations with Azerbaijan and Russia". "In accordance with the standards of Annex 13 of the Chicago Convention, the state conducting the investigation ensures the reading of flight recorders and decides on the selection of a country to read and decode the black boxes," the statement said, adding that Kazakhstan is a member of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).” The decision indicates that Kazakhstan is in line with Azerbaijan's demand for a transparent investigation into the circumstances in which Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 crashed as it attempted to make an emergency landing near Aktau on Wednesday.s<br/>

The International Air Transport Association called Sunday (Dec 29) for a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation into the fatal Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash. IATA said that if a probe finds the passenger plane was brought down by combatants, the perpetrators must be brought to justice. The AZAL plane crashed in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, killing 38 people of the 67 people on board. Azerbaijani officials have suggested the aircraft was hit by a Russian air defence system as it tried to land in Grozny, capital of the Russian republic of Chechnya. "Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of those who have perished," said IATA's director general Willie Walsh. "Out of respect for the 38 people who lost their lives and to those who survived, we must find out why this catastrophe happened and take action to ensure there is never a repeat. "Civil aircraft must never be the intended or accidental target of military operations. The strong potential that Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243 could have been the victim of military operations, as indicated by several governments including Russia and Azerbaijan, places the highest priority on conducting a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation." Walsh said an interim report should be published within 30 days. "Should the conclusion be that this tragedy was the responsibility of combatants, the perpetrators must be held accountable and brought to justice," said Walsh.<br/>

UAE airline flydubai has suspended flights from Dubai to the southern Russian airports of Sochi and Mineralnie Vody, the carrier said on Friday. Flydubai said the flights were suspended due to technical reasons, with flights to Sochi suspended until Jan. 2 and to Mineralnie Vody until Jan. 3. The airline's statement comes after an Azerbaijan Airlines plane flying from Baku to Grozny crashed in the Kazakhstan city of Aktau. Following the crash, flights to some regions of Russia have already been suspended by Kazakhstan's Qazaq Air, Israel's El Al and Azerbaijan Airlines.<br/>

El Al, the national airline of Israel, has temporarily suspended flights to Moscow following the crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer ERJ 190, which resulted in the deaths of 38 people. Israeli state media identifies “developments in Russia’s airspace” as the reason for the suspension. Many airlines flying in and out of Russia are concerned with the recent reports that Russian Air Defense may have shot down Azerbaijan Airlines Flight J28243 accidentally. The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has made the surrounding airspaces dangerous, and the unfortunate incident that occurred on christmas day is a reminder of the consequences of operating in a country that is involved in war. As a result, the Times of Israel reported that EL AL had suspended flights into Russia. The airline said it would reassess the situation and decide whether to resume flights next week. Passengers who are booked on canceled flights will be notified of the changes and offered alternative travel options, such as refunds or rebooking. Azerbaijan Airlines was the first airline to suspend flights to Russia, and now others, including El Al, are following suit.<br/>

El Al has announced it will extend its fixed price plan for selected destinations into January and February 2025, while adjusting the list of destinations where the fixed prices apply. As part of this process, Larnaca will be replaced by Frankfurt, Germany. The fixed prices will continue to apply to round-trip economy class flights (LITE ticket) to the following destinations: Athens, Greece – $299, Vienna, Austria – $349, Dubai, UAE – $349, Frankfurt, Germany – $349. This decision was made in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Transport, in accordance with ongoing discussions with the Minister of Economy, Nir Barkat, and Minister of Transport, Miri Regev. El Al plans to operate dozens of weekly flights to these destinations and will increase the frequency of flights based on demand. As part of the initiative, tens of thousands of seats will be available for purchase at fixed prices until the end of February 2025.<br/>

Spring Airlines, a Chinese budget carrier, resumed its direct flights from Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, on Sunday after a hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, News.az reports citing Xinhua. The first flight landed at the Phnom Penh International Airport, receiving a warm welcome from Mao Havannall, minister in charge of Cambodia's State Secretariat of Civil Aviation, Cambodian Tourism Minister Huot Hak, Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wenbin, airport officials, and tour company representatives. During the welcome ceremony, artists performed the traditional Chhay Yam dance, or drum dance, as officials presented each of the passengers with Krama, a UNESCO-listed traditional woven textile, as well as a small jasmine garland. Speaking to the press at the event, Havannall said that the flight resumption would bring more Chinese tourists and investors to the Southeast Asian country.<br/>