Boeing disaster in South Korea: Bird strike suspected
Before the passenger plane crashed at Muan International Airport in South Korea, a camera captured an unusual event. MBC Television released a video showing an explosion in the right engine. The probable cause might be a bird strike.
The accident occurred in South Korea's South Jeolla Province, about 288 kilometres southwest of Seoul. The Jeju Air flight 2216 aircraft attempted to land at Muan International Airport just before hitting the ground.
The pilot's maneuver to land the aircraft without deploying the landing gear ended in failure. The Boeing 737-8AS was completely destroyed, with only the tail remaining recognizable.
Crash of Boeing 737-8AS in South Korea. Experts analyze the footage
On board were six crew members and 175 passengers. Unusually, two of the cabin crew survived and did not sustain serious injuries. They were likely in the rear of the plane at the time of the crash.
According to Yonhap agency, at least 167 people died in the crash. Rescuers are still searching for bodies scattered around the airport area, and the casualty count continues to change.
In the footage broadcast by local television stations, you can see the plane trying to land without deployed landing gear. According to witnesses, before landing, a spark was visible on the right side of the plane.
This phenomenon is visible in the video from South Korean television. It may be one of the causes of the tragedy.
