2024 is finishing on an awful note when it comes to aviation safety. A few days ago, we saw an Azerbaijan Airlines jet crash in Kazakhstan, and now we’re seeing an accident in South Korea.
This incident happened on the morning of Sunday, December 29, 2024, and involves Jeju Air flight 7C2216. The flight was scheduled to depart Bangkok, Thailand (BKK), at 1:30AM, and land in Muan, South Korea (MWX), at 8:30AM.
The 2,170-mile flight was operated by a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 with the registration code HL8088. Let me emphasize that the 737-800 is different from the 737 MAX, which has been in the news a lot. There were a total of 181 people onboard, including 175 passengers and six crew members.
The 4hr30min flight was mostly routine, until landing. The aircraft landed on runway 01 at Muan Airport without gear. The aircraft couldn’t come to a stop, though, and accelerated past the end of the runway at a very high speed. The aircraft seemed to strike a barrier at the end of the runway, caught fire, and sustained serious damage.
For what it’s worth, Muan’s runway is just over 9,000 feet long, so it’s not short. Details about why the jet landed without gear, and why it was still at such a high speed at the end of the runway, remain to be seen.
So far 28 people onboard are confirmed to have lost their lives, though that number will likely change in the coming minutes and hours. My thoughts are with those onboard and their families. I simply have no words.
Below is a video of the accident, which is heartbreaking. Some people may find the video disturbing, so watch at your own discretion.
While it’s possible that this is completely unrelated, it’s worth noting that this same aircraft had a diversion just over 24 hours prior to this incident. On December 27, 2024, the aircraft has operating flight 7C8135 from Jeju, South Korea (CJU), to Beijing, China (PKX), when it diverted to Seoul Incheon (ICN). The aircraft then reentered service after around five hours.
For those not familiar with Jeju Air, it’s South Korea’s largest low cost carrier, with a fleet of over 40 Boeing 737s. This is the carrier’s first fatal accident in its nearly 20 year history, since launching operations in 2005.
I’ll update this post with more details in the morning, as we learn more.