Mon Dec 30 07:40:52 UTC 2024: ## South Korea Mourns Deadliest Plane Crash in History as Families Await Identification of Victims

**Muan, South Korea** – Hundreds of grieving families are camping out at Muan International Airport, consumed by anger and grief after a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash-landed on Sunday, killing 179 of the 181 people on board. The crash, the deadliest in South Korean history, has left families desperate for answers and the return of their loved ones’ remains.

Authorities have attributed the delay in releasing the bodies to the extensive damage suffered by the victims, making identification a painstaking process. Police Superintendent General Na Won-o explained the need for careful identification, a statement met with outrage and desperate pleas from distraught relatives. Some requested the immediate release of remains, while others desperately sought assurances that their loved ones would be returned in as complete a state as possible.

The flight, traveling from Bangkok, skidded off the runway and crashed into a wall shortly after landing. Two flight attendants survived, suffering multiple injuries. One survivor, a 33-year-old man, reported waking up after already being rescued. The other, a 25-year-old woman, is also receiving treatment.

Among the victims were entire families, including several children. Shin Gyu-ho, who lost his son-in-law and two grandsons, expressed his frustration at the lengthy identification process. Similarly, Maeng Gi-su mourned the loss of his nephew and two great-nephews, whose celebratory trip to Thailand tragically ended in the crash. Other families described the loss of multiple generations, including parents, children, and grandchildren. Many passengers had been celebrating Christmas in Thailand.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation, although eyewitness accounts mention seeing sparks on the wing and hearing explosions after the initial impact. Questions are being raised about the pilot’s decision not to land in a less damaging area.

The South Korean government has declared a seven-day national mourning period and is providing bereaved families with funeral services and temporary housing. DNA samples are being collected to aid in identification, but the emotional toll on the families waiting at the airport remains immense. The sounds of weeping and anger echo through the terminal, a testament to the magnitude of this tragedy.

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