Seoul, South Korea:
Heartbreaking scenes unfolded at South Korea’s Muan International Airport on Sunday after a Jeju Air flight crashed on the runway, killing 179 out of 181 people onboard. Only two people – flight attendants – survived the deadly crash because they were seated at the rear tail section of the aircraft – statistically known to be the safest place on a commercial flight.
A 2015 study by TIME Magazine found that rear seats were the safest in case of accidents. The report suggested that the seats in the back of the aircraft had a 32 per cent fatality rate, compared to the middle third (39 per cent) and the front (38 per cent).
The two survivors, identified as 32-year-old Lee and 25-year-old Kwon, were pulled from the tail section of the charred aircraft. The crash has reportedly left their recollections of the event shrouded in shock and confusion. After rescue Lee repeatedly asked, “What happened” and “Why am I here”, a report by the Korean Times said. According to the hospital authorities, she sustained a fractured left shoulder and head injuries but remained conscious.
Kwon, who suffered a scalp laceration, a fractured ankle, and abdominal pain, also did not seem to recollect the accident.
Both the survivors have significant injuries and trauma, but their lives are not in danger, the hospital staff said.
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The Jeju Air plane, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, was flying from Bangkok to Muan when it attempted to land shortly after 9 am but ended up crashing into a fence. Visuals showed the twin-engine plane skidding off the runway, crashing, and immediately bursting into flames. Within seconds, huge black smoke rose into the sky.
The only thing that gave away about the crashed flight was its charred tail.
In the videos, it appeared the aircraft attempted a ‘belly landing’ (without its landing gear fully extended). Preliminary investigation suggested that the crash took place due to a landing gear malfunction.
While the oldest person on the flight was a 78-year-old man, the youngest was a three-year-old baby, reported South Korea’s News1 agency. There were also two Thai passengers on the plane who died in the crash.
