SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A plane burst into flames after veering off a runway at an airport in South Korea on Sunday, killing at least 28 people on board, emergency officials said.
The fire engulfed the aircraft carrying 181 people when it skidded off the runway just after landing and struck a barrier. The country’s emergency office said its landing gear appeared to have malfunctioned.
Footage of the crash aired by YTN television showed the Jeju Air 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. The transport ministry said the incident happened at 9:03 a.m. local time.
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The National Fire Agency said the fire was almost put out but officials were still trying to pull people from the Jeju Air passenger plane at the airport in the southern town of Muan.
At least 28 people had died in the fire, the agency said. Emergency workers pulled out two people — one passenger and one crew member. It said it deployed 32 fire trucks and several helicopters to contain the fire.
Emergency officials said they were examining the cause of the fire.
Local TV stations aired footage showing thick pillows of black smoke billowing from the plane engulfed with flame.
The incident came as South Korea is embroiled into a huge political crisis triggered by President Yoon Suk Yeol’s stunning imposition of martial law and ensuing impeachment. Last Friday, South Korean lawmakers impeached acting President Han Duck-soo and suspended his duties, making Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok to take over.
Choi ordered officials to employ all available resources to rescue the passengers and crew, according to Yonhap news agency. Yoon’s office said his chief secretary, Chung Jin-suk, will preside over an emergency meeting between senior presidential staff later on Sunday to discuss the crash.
