At least 122 people have been confirmed dead in the plane crash, according to local fire and rescue officials.
However, two persons were pulled out alive and rushed to nearby hospital as the aircraft was still burning after the crash.
Footage showed the aircraft sliding on its belly before bursting into flames. Local fire officials and aviation experts say some sort of landing gear malfunction was likely. The pilot also made a mayday call shortly after the control tower warned about birds in the area.
The Jeju Air jetliner was carrying 175 passengers and six crew when it crash-landed at the airport in Muan county. All on board were South Korean except for two Thai nationals.
The plane, listed as a Boeing 737-800 on FlightAware, had traveled from Bangkok, Thailand. Analysts say both the Boeing 787-800 and Jeju Air, South Korea’s largest low-cost airline, have a strong safety record.
•PHOTO: Rescue workers near the site of the crashed aircraft at Muan International Airport.
