South Korea’s Jeju Air crash: What we know
08:58 Share

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. When it's PCS time, you know the drill. Pack, research to new base, get the kids in school, because family supports family. At American Public University, we support military families with flexible, affordable online education that moves with you. As a military spouse, your tuition rate is the same as your partner's, just $2.50 per credit hour. American Public University, education that moves with you.

Learn more at apu.apus.edu/military. South Korea is in mourning. On Sunday, a plane flying from Bangkok to South Korea's Muon International Airport smashed into a concrete wall while trying to land and burst into flames. 179 of the 181 people on board were killed.

two members of the crew survived. It's the country's worst plane crash in decades. The acting president has opened an emergency investigation into how this happened, and many families have been left heartbroken. So in this episode, we're going to talk through what we know so far and what could happen next. I'm Mimi Swaby, and you're listening to What In The World from the BBC World Service. ♪

I'm joined by Rachel Lee, a BBC journalist based in Seoul. Hi, Rachel. Hi. First of all, can you talk us through what happened? Right. So Jeju Air Flight 7C2216, a Boeing 737-800 crashed on December 29th at South Korea's Muang International Airport.

which resulted in 179 deaths out of the 181 people on board. Now the flight was en route from Bangkok, Thailand to Muon, South Korea carrying a total of 175 passengers and 6 crew members.

And according to the available information right now, the aircraft suffered a bird strike shortly after it began its approach to land at Mu'an Airport, and the crew declared a mayday and aborted the first landing attempt, opting for a second approach. And during the second attempt, the aircraft touched down without deploying its landing gear, causing a rough, gearless touchdown that caused the plane to skid across the runway, and then the plane crashed.

overshot the end of the runway and crashed with a concrete wall, which significantly contributed to a high death toll. So you mentioned bird strikes there. A bird strike is kind of what it sounds like when a bird glides with a plane in flight. If a bird is sucked into the engine, it could make the engine shut down. Bird strikes are really common, but they rarely cause fatal crashes.

So back to the passengers, what more do we know about who was on board? Right. So the plane was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members. So the passengers were mostly South Korean nationals, many of whom were returning from Christmas holidays in Thailand. And among the passengers were two Thai nationals.

The victims ranged in age from 3 to 78 and among the crew, the flight attendants and pilots also perished in the crash. So the plane had been traveling on a holiday route so the passengers were predominantly vacationers heading home from after spending the holiday season abroad.

Only two people survived the crash. What do we know about them and their current condition? Right. So as you said, out of 181 people aboard the flight, two people who were both flight attendants survived the crash. So only its tail was recognisable after the crash and that's where the two survivors were pulled from. However, the severity of their injuries is still being assessed and

As of now, their condition is not fully disclosed. And I was actually at the hospital the other day where victims were hospitalized but failed to access to them. The reports suggest that they are in critical but stable condition. This has obviously had a huge impact on the families of victims.

Let's hear from one of them now. This is Song Jong-hoon, who lost two relatives on the flight. I still can't believe it, even now. I started the morning in tears. My heart was pounding on the way here. It's been about three months since I last saw them. The last time we had a drink together, just one glass of rice wine, and that was the last moment we shared. The deceased are my uncle and aunt-in-law from my wife's side.

Many of the passengers' family members have been waiting at the Muang International Airport for the latest. Rachel, what are the families calling for?

Right, so the families of the victims have been left in deep distress and many have gathered at Muang International Airport waiting for information about their loved ones.

And as of now, authorities have been working to identify the victims, but this process has been slow due to the extensive damage caused by the crash and fire. So DNA testing and fingerprint analysis are being used to confirm these identities. And the delay in this identification process has caused

just mounting frustration among the families, and some of whom have criticized the authorities for not providing enough updates on the status of their loved ones. And in addition to this, waiting for identification, many families are seeking answers about what caused the crash and what could have been done to prevent it. So some have publicly called for more thorough investigation and have expressed concerns.

a desire to ensure that lessons are learned from this tragedy to prevent future accidents. Let's hear again from Song Jung-hoon.

I arrived at around 2pm myself. The most frustrating part was that the list of identified victims wasn't being released promptly. The accident happened at 10am, but it wasn't until over six hours later that we were handed handwritten notes that were nearly impossible to read. Families had to take photos with their phones and zoom in just to identify the names. Watching people break down in tears was heartbreaking.

The condition of the bodies must have been severe. DNA testing was the only way to identify them. This testing didn't even start until around 9pm. And even that only happened because families demanded it. How could families not raise their voices in anger? Every time there's an accident, the authorities are always reactive, never proactive. I'm sure other families feel the same way.

What everyone wants most is to have their loved ones identified quickly so they can hold the funerals as soon as possible. And what's next in this investigations timeline?

Right, so the investigation into crash is ongoing with South Korean authorities leading the probe. So several potential causes are being explored right now, including the bird strike, as I said, and weather conditions, the plane's mechanical conditions, and the impact of the concrete wall at the end of the runway. So investigators are particularly focused on the unusual construction of the wall, as some experts believe that it could have contributed to the severity of the crash.

And additionally, there will also be a review of the maintenance records of Boeing 737-800 aircraft and the safety protocols at Muang International Airport. Rachel, this has been a really difficult time for South Korea. In early December, the former president, Yoon Seok-yool, suddenly out of the blue, declared martial law. He was later impeached and now a court has issued an arrest warrant against him. His successor has also been impeached.

So there's a third president in less than a month. What's the national mood like? You're right. I mean, it's been a really tough month for South Korea and people are feeling pretty down with everything going on. So there was a lot of grief after the tragic Jeju air crash incident.

especially because it brought back memories of past disasters like the Sewol ferry and Itaewon crowd crush. I actually went out to streets in Seoul yesterday to talk to people, so I might be able to provide you with some of the quotes of what people said. So a lot of young people

I talked to Lee Seung-min, who said the news reminded them of the Sewol tragedy, and it's just adding to the overall sense of hopelessness. And on top of that, as you said, the political chaos with the president's impeachment has left many people feeling uncertain about the society. So Kim Jae-suk also pointed out that the people always felt safe here, but now it feels like there's been a breakdown in safety oversight. And Kang Lee-joo, who's in her 40s,

she's hoping for more stability in the new year especially with the current leadership situation so everyone just seems to be looking for a bit of peace and resolution as we head into 2025. Thanks so much for joining us Rachel. Thank you. If you'd like any updates on this story please do keep an eye on the BBC News website and that's it for this episode of What in the World from the BBC World Service with me Mimi Swaby. We'll be back with a new episode tomorrow. See you then.

Yoga is more than just exercise. It's the spiritual practice that millions swear by.

And in 2017, Miranda, a university tutor from London, joins a yoga school that promises profound transformation. It felt a really safe and welcoming space. After the yoga classes, I felt amazing. But soon, that calm, welcoming atmosphere leads to something far darker, a journey that leads to allegations of grooming, trafficking and exploitation across international borders.

I don't have my passport, I don't have my phone, I don't have my bank cards, I have nothing. The passport being taken, the being in a house and not feeling like they can leave.

You just get sucked in so gradually.

And it's done so skillfully that you don't realize. And it's like this, the secret that's there. I wanted to believe that, you know, that whatever they were doing, even if it seemed gross to me,

was for some spiritual reason that I couldn't yet understand. Revealing the hidden secrets of a global yoga network. I feel that I have no other choice. The only thing I can do is to speak about this and to put my reputation and everything else on the line. I want truth and justice.

And for other people to not be hurt, for things to be different in the future. To bring it into the light and almost alchemise some of that evil stuff that went on and take back the power. World of Secrets, Season 6, The Bad Guru. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

When it's PCS time, you know the drill. Pack, research to new base, get the kids in school, because family supports family. At American Public University, we support military families with flexible, affordable online education that moves with you. As a military spouse, your tuition rate is the same as your partner's, just $250 per credit hour. American Public University, education that moves with you.

Learn more at apu.apus.edu/military