179 people killed in plane crash at South Korean airport
A passenger plane skidded off a runway at a South Korean airport on Sunday, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into flames after its front landing gear apparently failed to deploy. All but two of the 181 people on board died in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters.
The country’s National Fire Agency (NFA) said rescuers raced to pull people from the Jeju Air passenger plane at the airport in the town of Muan, about 290 kilometres south of the capital, Seoul.
Emergency officials later confirmed there were only two survivors. Workers pulled two crew members to safety. Health officials said they are conscious and not in life-threatening condition.
Family members cried as officials announced the names of some victims at a lounge in the Muan airport.
Footage of the crash aired by YTN television showed the plane skidding across the airstrip, apparently with its landing gear still closed, and colliding head-on with a concrete wall on the outskirts of the facility.
Local TV stations aired footage showing the aircraft engulfed in flames, with thick pillows of black smoke billowing from it. The NFA deployed 32 fire trucks and several helicopters to contain the blaze. About 1,560 firefighters, police officers, soldiers and other officials were also sent to the site, the agency said.
Emergency officials in Muan said they were examining the cause of the fire, initially saying the plane’s landing gear appeared to have malfunctioned.
Possible bird strike
John Cox, president of aviation consulting firm Safety Operating Systems LLC, based in Washington, D.C., said the footage indicates the plane may have taken a bird strike to one or both engines, but investigators will know more once they study the aircraft’s black boxes and scour the engines for bird debris.
U.K. aviation expert Philip Butterworth-Hayes told Agence France-Presse that a strike to both engines would cause the aircraft to lose power, and pilots would have to activate the APU, or auxillary power unit, to get power back and gain more control over things like the landing gear.
“It may have been they did not have time to get the landing gear down by the auxiliary means because of having limited or no power from the engines,” Cox told CBC News.
He said the aircraft initially appeared to be under control on the runway and was slowing down, “and would have come to a stop had that wall not been there.”
Cox said under international standards, airports should have a clear area at the end of the runway so that “if an airplane does go off, it doesn’t strike something.”
“Aircraft engines are built to withstand a lot, including a bird strike,” Butterworth-Hayes told AFP. “But if the birds are particularly large, they’re in flocks and there’s several of them, even a modern jet engine has problems going through it.”
Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the Muan fire station, told a televised briefing that the plane was completely destroyed, with only the tail assembly remaining recognizable among the wreckage. Lee said that workers were looking into various possibilities about what caused the crash, including whether the aircraft was struck by birds.
Senior Transport Ministry official Joo Jong-wan said workers have retrieved the flight data and cockpit voice recorders in the plane’s black box, which will be examined by government experts investigating the cause of the crash and fire. Joo said the runway at the Muan airport will be closed until Jan. 1.
The ministry said the plane was a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet that was returning from Bangkok when the crash occurred at 9:03 a.m. local time, and its passengers included two Thai nationals.
Thailand’s prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, expressed deep condolences to the families of those affected by the accident through a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter. Paetongtarn said she had ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide immediate assistance.
Low-cost airline
In a televised news conference, Kim E-bae, Jeju Air’s president, deeply bowed with other senior company officials as he apologized to bereaved families and said he feels “full responsibility” for the incident.
It was the first fatal flight for Jeju Air, a low-cost airline founded in 2005 that ranks behind only Korean Air Lines and Asiana Airlines in terms of the number of passengers in South Korea.
Kim said the company hadn’t identified any mechanical problems with the aircraft following regular checkups and that he would wait for the results of government investigations into the cause of the crash.
Boeing said in a statement on X it was in contact with Jeju Air and is ready to support the company in dealing with the crash. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew,” Boeing said.
It’s one of the deadliest disasters in South Korea’s aviation history. The last time South Korea suffered a large-scale air disaster was in 1997, when a Korean Airline plane crashed in Guam, killing 228 people on board.
In an emergency meeting on Sunday evening, South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, declared a national mourning period until Jan. 4.
The crash came as South Korea is embroiled in a huge political crisis triggered by then-president Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning imposition of martial law and ensuing impeachment.
On Friday, South Korean lawmakers also impeached acting president Han Duck-soo and suspended his duties, forcing president Choi to take over. He ordered officials to employ all available resources to rescue the passengers and crew, according to Yonhap news agency.
Published at Sun, 29 Dec 2024 18:26:16 +0000
U.S. President Joe Biden, President-elect Donald Trump pay tribute to Jimmy Carter
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter was lauded Sunday as a humanitarian and a champion of justice by his successors, supporters and admirers around the world following news of his death.
“Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in a statement announcing his death on the social media platform X. It added that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family.
Condolences soon started to pour in following the announcement.
U.S. President Joe Biden and wife Jill
“Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well.
“With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.
“And to all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility. He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people – decent and honourable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.”
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn spoke in a video about why Biden must be the next president.
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris
“I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. I will always remember his kindness, wisdom, and profound grace. His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come. Our world is a better place because of President Carter.”
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump
“Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History.
“The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Ex-U.S. president Barack Obama and wife Michelle
“Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image. Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service.”
Ex-U.S. president Bill Clinton
“Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others – until the very end … Hillary and I met President Carter in 1975 and were proud, early supporters of his Presidential campaign. I will always be proud to have presented the Medal of Freedom to him and Rosalynn in 1999, and to have worked with him in the years after he left the White House. Our prayers are with Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and their families.”
Ex-U.S. president George W. Bush
“James Earl Carter, Jr., was a man of deeply held convictions. He was loyal to his family, his community, and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
“Jimmy Carter’s legacy is one of compassion, kindness, empathy, and hard work. He served others both at home and around the world his entire life — and he loved doing it. He was always thoughtful and generous with his advice to me.
“My deepest condolences to the Carter family, his many loved ones, and the American people who are mourning a former President and a lifelong humanitarian. May his selfless service continue to inspire us all for years to come.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh
“President Jimmy Carter was a Nobel Peace Prize winner, peacemaker, lifelong humanitarian and a tireless worker for Habitat for Humanity. He earned respect and admiration around the Globe for being a man whose actions matched his values. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family, his loved ones and all Americans.”
Chip Carter, his son
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love … My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
French President Emmanuel Macron
“Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter defended the rights of the most vulnerable people and tirelessly led the fight for peace. France sends its heartfelt thoughts to his family and to the American people.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
“Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad … [he] lived his values in the service of others to the very end.”
King Charles
“It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of former President Carter. He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977.”
Published at Sun, 29 Dec 2024 21:32:32 +0000
