This is South Korea’s worst domestic civil aviation disaster.
The video from the ground sees the plane exploding into a fireball.
A local fire official said the crash had likely been caused by a bird strike and weather conditions.
But others suggested the crash may have been caused by the landing gear failing.
Live updates: South Korea plane crash
Thick smoke above the airport after the crash. Pic: Reuters
Experts said South Korea’s aviation industry has a solid track record for safety and this was the first fatal accident Jeju Air had experienced since it was launched.
In a press conference, the chief executive of the company said the plane that crashed did not have previous records of accidents.
Jeju Air chief executive Kim E-bae and officials bow to apologise. Pic: Reuters
Kim E-bae also added there were no early signs of the plane malfunctioning.
He has vowed to cooperate with the government in investigating the cause of the accident.
And he can expect tough questioning – this is a catastrophic crash and the many bereaved families will be looking for answers.
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Just two days ago, a passenger claiming to have travelled on the same plane said it had an engine shutdown as people were boarding.
According to Yonhap News Agency, a passenger who boarded the Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 said: “I was on the same plane at the time and the engine shut off several times.”
He said he’d set off from Muan International Airport for Bangkok and became worried: “I told the flight attendants and they said there was no problem.”
Other passengers, he claimed, also had concerns and the plane was delayed for an hour “due to airport issues.”
