Families mourn after S Korea plane crash

A festive journey to Thailand was purported to be a celebration for Maeng Gi-Su’s nephew and his nephew’s two sons, who have been marking the tip of their faculty entrance exams.

As a substitute, it led to tragedy when all three died on the Jeju Air airplane that crash-landed in South Korea on Sunday morning, killing 179 of the 181 folks onboard.

“I am unable to imagine your entire household has simply disappeared,” Maeng, 78, informed the BBC.

“My coronary heart aches a lot.”

The household have been travelling on flight 7C2216 from Bangkok to Muan Worldwide Airport, which skidded off the runway after touching down and crashed into a wall shortly after 09:00 native time (00:00 GMT) on Sunday.

All the passengers on the Boeing 737-800 died, making it one of many deadliest airplane crashes on South Korean soil.

4 crew members have been among the many victims, whereas two have been rescued from the wreckage alive.

The 179 passengers have been aged between three and 78 years previous, though most have been of their 40s, 50s and 60s, South Korea’s Yonhap information company reported. Two Thai nationals are among the many lifeless and the remainder are believed to be South Korean, authorities have mentioned.

5 of the individuals who died have been youngsters underneath the age of 10, whereas the youngest passenger, somewhat boy, was simply three years previous.

One man in his sixties mentioned 5 of his relations spanning three generations had been on the airplane, together with his sister-in-law, his daughter, her husband and their younger youngsters, in accordance with Yonhap information company.

Lots of the passengers had been celebrating the Christmas holidays in Thailand and have been returning residence.

The cousin of 1 sufferer, Jongluk Doungmanee, informed BBC Thai she was “shocked” when she heard the information.

“I had goosebumps. I could not imagine it,” Pornphichaya Chalermsin mentioned.

She had spent over two weeks in Thailand visiting her household and touring within the northern metropolis of Chiang Mai along with her husband.

A 71-year-old father, Jeon Je-young, informed the Reuters information company that his daughter Mi-Sook, who was recognized by her fingerprints, had been on her manner residence after travelling with buddies to Bangkok for the festivities.

“My daughter, who is simply in her mid-40s, ended up like this,” he mentioned, including that he had final seen her on 21 December, when she introduced some meals and subsequent yr’s calendar to his home – that might change into their final second collectively.

Mi-Sook leaves behind a husband and teenage daughter.

“That is unbelievable”, mentioned Jeon.

One girl mentioned her sister, who had been having a tricky time had gone to Thailand as life started to enhance for her.

“She’s had so many hardships and gone touring as a result of her state of affairs was solely simply starting to enhance,” she informed Yonhap information company.

The 2 flight attendants who survived the crash have been discovered within the tail finish of the airplane, probably the most intact a part of the wreckage.

One was a 33-year-old man, with the surname Lee, who was rushed to a hospital in Mokpo, about 25km (15.5 mi) south of the airport, however was later transferred to Ewha Womans College Seoul Hospital within the capital, Yonhap information company reported.

“Once I wakened, I had already been rescued,” he informed docs on the hospital, in accordance with its director Ju Woong, who spoke throughout a press briefing.

The survivor, who suffered a number of fractures, is receiving particular care as a result of threat of after-effects, together with whole paralysis, Ju mentioned.

The opposite survivor, a 25-year-old feminine flight attendant with the surname Koo, is being handled at Asan Medical Middle in japanese Seoul, Yonhap added.

She has sustained head and ankle accidents however is reportedly in a steady situation.

It isn’t but identified precisely what brought on the catastrophe, however quite a lot of eye witnesses say they may see that the airplane was in bother earlier than the crash.

Restaurant proprietor Im Younger-Hak mentioned he initially thought it was an oil tanker accident.

“I went exterior and noticed thick, darkish smoke. After that, I heard a loud explosion, not from the crash itself. Then there have been extra explosions – not less than seven,” he informed Reuters.

“We really feel dangerous when accidents occur on the opposite aspect of the world, however this occurred proper right here. It is traumatic.”

Yoo Jae-yong, 41, who was staying close to to the airport, informed native media he noticed a spark on the appropriate wing shortly earlier than the crash.

Kim Yong-cheol, 70, mentioned the airplane did not land initially and circled again to strive once more.

He added that he witnessed “black smoke billowing into the sky” after listening to a “loud explosion”, Yonhap company reported.

One firefighter who was dispatched to the scene informed Reuters he had by no means seen one thing “on this scale”.

BBC reporters on the bottom have mentioned the sounds of relations crying echoed by way of the terminal on Sunday night, whereas others are indignant at how lengthy it’s taking to establish the our bodies.

Lots of stay at Muan Worldwide Airport ready for family members to be recognized.

Some have given DNA saliva samples to officers to assist establish the our bodies of victims, and the federal government has provided funeral companies and non permanent housing to bereaved households.

A nationwide interval of mourning has additionally been declared for the subsequent seven days.

However for all of the family members of those that died, many questions nonetheless stay – not least the reason for the crash, and whether or not it might have been averted.

“The water close to the airport isn’t deep,” Jeon informed Reuters.

“(There) are softer fields than this cement runway. Why could not the pilot land there as an alternative?”

His daughter Mi-Sook was nearly residence, so noticed no motive to name and depart a closing message, he says.

“She was nearly residence – she thought she was coming residence”.

Extra Reporting by BBC Thai’s Thanyaporn Buathong