Connect with us

International News

South Korea Plane Crash: 179 Feared Dead After Jeju Air Flight Disaster

Published

on

A Jeju Air flight carrying 181 people from Bangkok to South Korea crashed during landing at Muan International Airport on Sunday morning, leaving 179 people feared dead.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft, operating as Flight 2216, collided with a barrier and burst into flames after reportedly skidding off the runway.

READ MORE: Yuletide: Adeleke Rejoices With Christians

Authorities believe a bird strike and adverse weather conditions contributed to the disaster, which left the plane “almost completely destroyed,” according to fire officials.

The crash occurred at 9:03 a.m. local time (0003 GMT), minutes after the control tower issued a bird strike warning.

Video footage shows the aircraft landing on its belly before veering off the tarmac, colliding with a wall, and erupting into flames.

“Passengers were ejected from the aircraft after it collided with the wall, leaving little chance of survival,” a fire official said during a briefing.

By mid-afternoon, 124 fatalities had been confirmed, with only two survivors, both flight attendants. Recovery teams are still working to identify victims, a process slowed by the extensive damage to the wreckage.

“The plane is almost completely destroyed, and identifying the deceased is proving difficult,” a fire brigade spokesperson said. “The process is taking time as we locate and recover the remains.”

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport reported that the pilot issued a Mayday call two minutes before the crash. Initial assessments suggest the runway’s length was not a factor in the crash.

“The runway is 2,800 meters long, and similar-sized aircraft have been operating on it without issues,” an official said.

Lee Jeong-hyun, chief of Muan Fire Station, stated that the likely cause was “a bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions,” but added that the exact cause will be determined following a joint investigation.

At Muan International Airport, families of the victims gathered in anguish as they received updates. Many were seen crying as news of the crash spread.

Jeju Air issued a statement apologizing for the tragedy. “We sincerely apologize for causing concern,” the airline said, pledging support for the affected families.

Aircraft manufacturer Boeing also released a statement saying it was in contact with Jeju Air and stood “ready to support them.”

South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok convened an emergency meeting with cabinet members before traveling to Muan. He declared the area a special disaster zone, which allows for additional state support for the victims’ families.

“I believe no words of consolation would suffice for the bereaved families who have suffered this tragedy,” Choi said. “The entire government is working closely together to manage the aftermath of the accident, dedicating all available resources.”

This crash is the first fatal accident in Jeju Air’s history since its establishment in 2005. Despite South Korea’s strong aviation safety record, the incident highlights the persistent threat of bird strikes, which have caused multiple accidents worldwide.

In 2009, a US Airways plane famously landed in New York’s Hudson River after bird strikes disabled its engines, resulting in no fatalities in what became known as the “Miracle on the Hudson.”

 

 

Click to comment
0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

International News

Ferrari’s First Electric Car Makes History With Record $40m Auction Sale

Published

on

Ferrari’s first fully electric car, the Luce, has made automotive history after a bespoke version of the vehicle sold for a record $40 million at a charity auction in California.

The tailor-made Ferrari Luce “Chassis 0” was sold during Monterey Car Week on Saturday, becoming the most expensive new car ever sold at auction, according to collector car auction company RM Sotheby’s.

The winning bid was 36 times the car’s original estimate of $1.1 million.

SEE MORE: Police Arrest Man For Driving Fake Ferrari In Italy

Ferrari USA celebrated the landmark sale in an Instagram post, saying, “The bids kept climbing. Then, history was made,” while describing the transaction as a new record for the highest-priced new car ever sold at auction.

The sale comes months after Ferrari unveiled the Luce in May. The electric model features a distinctive bubble-like design that differs significantly from the Italian automaker’s traditional angular styling and has received mixed reactions from some Ferrari enthusiasts.

Ferrari previously described the Luce as “a different sort of Ferrari for a different sort of Ferrari client.”
The Luce is powered by four electric motors, with one motor driving each of its four wheels.

The exclusive “Chassis 0” features a pearl-like semi-gloss finish with a personalised pigment that produces changing reflections ranging from green to violet when struck by light.

Its interior is equally distinctive, featuring Perla Le Mans metallic leather and black design elements against a predominantly white background.

Ferrari said proceeds from the record-breaking auction will go to The Ferrari Foundation to support educational initiatives.

Following the auction, the vehicle will return to Maranello, northern Italy, where it was built, before being delivered to the unnamed winning bidder in the first quarter of 2027.

Meanwhile, deliveries of the regular Ferrari Luce, priced at about €550,000 ($640,000), are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Continue Reading

International News

Trump Threatens to Bomb Oman Over Iran Deal

Published

on

US President Donald Trump has threatened to bomb Oman if the country obstructs efforts to reach a deal with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump made the threat on Monday during an interview with Fox News journalist Trey Yingst, amid ongoing discussions between Oman and Iran concerning control and navigation through the strategic waterway.

SEE MORE: Trump Decrees Lower Petrol Prices

“If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them,” Trump told Yingst, referring to the talks between Oman and Iran while the United States pursues its own discussions with Tehran.

Iranian and Omani officials have been negotiating for weeks over future maritime navigation arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign ministry said on Monday that both sides were working towards a joint declaration.

The Strait of Hormuz has become a major flashpoint amid the ongoing Middle East conflict. Iran effectively restricted traffic through the waterway at the beginning of the war on February 28, while Trump has repeatedly insisted that the strategic route should be under US control.

On Friday, Trump said he could even declare the Strait of Hormuz part of US territory. Iran rejected the position, insisting that the crucial waterway would “remain Iranian.”

Before the outbreak of the US-Israeli war against Iran, the Strait of Hormuz was regarded as an open international waterway. The route is critical to global energy supplies and carries significant volumes of oil and other commodities.

Iran has used its control over the strait as leverage against US-led efforts to weaken its military capabilities and force Tehran to abandon its controversial nuclear programme.

Trump also called on Iran to surrender, saying Tehran should “put up the white flag of surrender.”

Despite the growing tensions and the political pressure surrounding the conflict ahead of the November midterm elections in the United States, Trump said he was not in a hurry to reach a deal.

He further disclosed that his administration maintains a direct back-channel with officials of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

“They’re good poker players, but they’re dying,” Trump was quoted as saying.

 

Continue Reading

International News

Petro Warns Colombia Is Heading Toward Civil War After Alleged Election Fraud

Published

on

Colombia’s outgoing President, Gustavo Petro, has warned that the country could descend into civil war following what he described as widespread fraud in the recent presidential election.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Petro claimed that the June presidential runoff was tainted by “algorithmic, systemic electoral fraud” involving a massive number of votes, insisting the results were manipulated against his political ally, Ivan Cepeda.

SEE MORE: Osun Election: Gunmen Invade PVC Centre, Cart Away Voter Cards

“We are facing fraud and an undoubtedly profound institutional problem, namely the inauguration of an illegitimate president,” Petro said.

The outgoing leader alleged that “foreign money and foreign companies with the capacity to manipulate algorithms” interfered in Colombia’s electoral process, accusing external actors of influencing the outcome of the election.

Petro’s remarks come just days before president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella is due to be sworn into office on Friday in the southwestern city of Cali, a departure from the longstanding tradition of holding presidential inaugurations before Congress in the capital, Bogota.

The Colombian leader also claimed that De la Espriella, who received the endorsement of United States President Donald Trump before the election, plans to extradite him to the United States on what he described as false charges.

Warning of the potential consequences, Petro said, “It’s crystal clear what a civil war in Colombia could look like,” arguing that public resistance to the incoming administration’s actions could trigger widespread unrest.

The political crisis has deepened further after the left-wing bloc in Congress, led by Cepeda, announced it would boycott De la Espriella’s inauguration and called for nationwide mobilization against the president-elect.

Observers have also raised concerns that Colombia could witness a return to violent street protests similar to those experienced between 2019 and 2021, which left dozens dead.

Despite having no prior political experience, De la Espriella has pledged to boost private investment, shrink the size of government by 40 percent, and intensify military operations against guerrilla groups and drug cartels as the country battles its worst surge in violence in a decade.

His inauguration is scheduled for Friday amid heightened political tensions and growing uncertainty over Colombia’s future.

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2022. Biztellers, powered by Alphaxristi.

0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x