The Jeju Air Flight 2216 Tragedy: A National Shock
Examining the 2024 Muan Airport Crash and Its Devastating Impact
A Catastrophic Accident in South Korean Aviation
On December 29, 2024, at approximately 9:03 AM, Jeju Air Flight 2216, en route from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand to Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Korea, experienced an aviation accident. The aircraft was unable to deploy its landing gear for unknown reasons [assumed] during its approach to landing and attempted a belly landing. During the attempt, it veered off the runway and collided with a reinforced concrete embankment where a localizer was installed, causing the aircraft to explode.
Devastating Loss of Life
Of the 181 people on board, 179 were killed, with only two crew members seated in the rear of the fuselage surviving with serious injuries.
Details of the Aircraft Involved
The aircraft involved in the accident, HL8088, was a Boeing 737-800 that made its first flight on August 19, 2009, making it 15 years old at the time of the accident. Originally delivered under a lease to Ryanair, the aircraft bore Ryanair's customer code AS and was first registered as EI-EFR. It remained in service with Ryanair until the lease expired in early 2017. On February 3 of the same year, it was sold to Jeju Air and re-registered with the South Korean registration number HL8088.
Previous Emergency Incident
Two days prior to the accident, on December 27, 2024, the aircraft operated Flight 7C8135 and declared the emergency code squawk 7700 due to a medical emergency onboard. This caused it to divert to Incheon International Airport instead of its intended destination, Beijing Daxing International Airport.
A Historic Aviation Tragedy
This is the fifth passenger aircraft accident involving over 100 fatalities on South Korean soil or involving a South Korean-registered aircraft. It is also the first major aviation accident on South Korean territory in 22 years, profoundly shocking the public. The incident occurred one month before Jeju Air’s 20th anniversary and marks the first fatal accident in the airline's history, resulting in catastrophic loss of life.
South Korea’s Long History of Air Disasters
This is the first passenger aircraft accident in South Korea with fatalities since the crash of Air China Flight 129 in 2002, 22 years ago. It is also the first runway excursion accident at Muan International Airport.
Comparisons with Past Accidents
In terms of South Korean-registered aircraft, this accident follows earlier fatal incidents excluding those involving passenger health emergencies or hijackings: the 1978 Korean Air Flight 902 shootdown, the 1980 Korean Air Flight 015 landing accident, the 1983 Korean Air Flight 007 shootdown, the 1987 Korean Air Flight 858 bombing, the 1989 Korean Air Flight 803 crash, the Korean Air Flight 175 crash, the 1993 Asiana Airlines Flight 733 crash, the 1997 Korean Air Flight 801 crash, and the 2013 Asiana Airlines Flight 214 landing accident.
A Rare Instance of Total Passenger Fatalities
Among these, incidents where all passengers perished include Korean Air Flight 007 and Korean Air Flight 858. This accident marks the third such instance, and the first since Korean Air Flight 858 in 1987, occurring 37 years later.
Fatal Crashes in South Korea
In terms of South Korean-registered aircraft crashes with fatalities occurring within South Korea, this is the fourth case following the 1980 Korean Air Flight 015 landing accident, the 1989 Korean Air Flight 175 crash, and the 1993 Asiana Airlines Flight 733 crash. It is the first such incident in 31 years since the Asiana 733 crash.
Recent Accidents and Landing Issues
It is also the first accident involving a South Korean-registered passenger aircraft during landing in two years, following the Korean Air Flight 631 runway excursion accident in 2022. Furthermore, it is the first fatal accident caused by operational issues in 11 years since the Asiana Airlines Flight 214 landing accident in 2013. However, the 2024 Air Premia Flight 132 diversion incident is generally excluded, as it involved an onboard medical emergency leading to a fatality.
Media and Public Reaction
Some media outlets have irresponsibly fueled public anxiety, suggesting that low-cost carriers are unsafe, casting doubt on the reliability of Boeing aircraft, linking unrelated accidents, or blaming travel agencies that used the ill-fated flight—all without proper fact-checking.
| 