The South Korean government has declared a seven-day national mourning period following a tragic plane crash that claimed 179 lives, with two crew members rescued, according to local reports.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok announced the mourning period during an emergency safety meeting held hours after the passenger jet crash, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.
“We offer our deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives in this unexpected tragedy,” Choi stated.
The Finance Ministry announced plans to set up memorial altars at the crash site and in 17 cities and provinces across the country. Public officials will also wear mourning ribbons as a tribute to the victims.
The incident involved a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air, carrying 181 passengers, including six crew members. The aircraft, returning from Bangkok, caught fire during landing due to reported landing gear issues around 9:07 a.m. local time (0007 GMT) in Muan County, approximately 288 kilometers (179 miles) southwest of Seoul.
The plane skidded across the ground without its landing gear, crashing into a concrete wall and bursting into flames with a loud explosion. Before the collision, the twin-engine jet veered off the runway, collided with a fence, and then slammed into a wall in a fiery explosion.
