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.

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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.”

The Federal Ministry of Justice in Nigeria has disbursed a staggering N1.1 billion in professional fees to some of the country’s leading lawyers over the last three years.

This revelation follows an analysis of data from GovSpend, a platform dedicated to tracking government expenditures.

Prominent beneficiaries of these payments include Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Chief Afe Babalola, Wole Olanipekun, and Dr. Alex Izinyon, among 23 other legal firms.

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The scope of their professional services ranged from offering legal advice and drafting documents to representing the government in court and handling regulatory compliance matters.

Breakdown of Payments

According to records, Babalola, Olanipekun, and Izinyon collectively received N482.7 million in July 2024 alone. Of this amount:

Chief Afe Babalola received N372.9 million on July 23 for representing the Federal Government in a case registered as FHC/ABJ/SC/8962/2023.

Wole Olanipekun was paid N103.6 million on July 26, while Dr. Alex Izinyon received N6.2 million on July 29.

Further analysis revealed that in 2022, 17 lawyers were paid a combined total of N359.7 million, while four lawyers collectively received N319.3 million in 2021.

Notable beneficiaries include: Savannah Law Chambers: N17.4 million in 2022 and an additional N29 million.

LDS Legal: N70.9 million in 2022 and N21.8 million in 2021, Sulaiman Salihu & Co: N31.4 million in two tranches in 2022 and N100.5 million in 2021.

Other firms like Lex Habitae, Rashida Mohammed & Co, and King’s Chambers each received between N15 million and N22 million for their services.

Tax Payments

As part of the payments, Babalola paid N31 million in Value Added Tax (VAT) and N41.4 million in withholding tax to the Federal Inland Revenue Service and the Ministry of Justice, respectively.

Similarly, Olanipekun paid N8.6 million in VAT and N11.5 million in withholding tax.

Despite the comprehensive scale of services rendered, the payments have raised concerns about the transparency and accountability of government expenditures.

The Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order, 2023, outlines guidelines for legal fees, yet the significant sums disbursed to these top lawyers and firms have prompted calls for greater scrutiny of how public funds are allocated.

The Northern Star Initiative has condemned an aerial bombing in Sokoto State that reportedly killed at least ten civilians and destroyed property in Gidan Bida and Runtawa communities, Silame Local Government Area.

The group’s Director General, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, made this known in a statement issued in Kaduna on Friday.

He described the incident as “deeply troubling” and called for an independent investigation to uncover the truth behind the attack.

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“There are conflicting accounts of the incident between the villagers, state officials, and military authorities,” Idris said.

“However, what is incontrovertible is the fact that the communities were bombed and innocent persons died.”

Dr. Idris linked the incident to a pattern of alleged military mishaps, referencing a similar bombing last year in Kaduna’s Tudun Biri community during a peaceful Eid-el-Maulud celebration.

“These errors are becoming too frequent and too costly in terms of human lives,” he said.

The advocacy group called on the federal government to establish an independent, high-level investigative committee to ensure accountability and justice for the victims.

“An independent high-level investigation should be carried out immediately, and those found liable should be punished.

“Adequate and commensurate compensation should also be given to those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate incident.”

Dr. Idris urged military authorities to implement urgent measures to prevent further civilian casualties in military operations, stressing the need to protect human lives and uphold accountability.