Jeju Air Flight 2216

Jeju Air Flight 2216 was a scheduled international passenger flight operated by Jeju Air from Suvarnabhumi Airport near Bangkok, Thailand, to Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Korea. On 29 December 2024, the Boeing 737-800 flying the route struck birds near Muan Airport, which damaged one of its engines.

The pilots tried to land again, but the landing gear failed to open, causing the plane to crash after hitting an airport structure. Sadly, most passengers and crew did not survive, making this one of the deadliest air crashes in South Korea's history.

Investigations later showed that the crew may have turned off the wrong engine during the emergency, and that safety rules about airport construction might have helped save lives. This tragic event marked the first fatal accident for Jeju Air in its 19 years of operation and was a major reminder of the importance of safety in aviation.

Background

The flight was operated by a Boeing 737-8AS that was 15 years old. It was registered as HL8088 and had two CFM International CFM56-7B26 engines. The plane was bought by Jeju Air in 2017 after being used by Ryanair. Before this flight, the plane had completed 13 flights without any problems found during safety checks.

There were 175 passengers on board, including two from Bangkok and 173 from South Korea. The youngest passenger was born in 2021, and the oldest in 1946. There were also nine family members traveling together, including a three-year-old child. The captain had over 6,800 hours of flying experience, and the first officer had more than 1,650 hours. The flight also had four flight attendants. Most passengers were returning from a Christmas tour in Bangkok.

Victims

A total of 179 people, including crew members and passengers, were confirmed dead after the airplane crashed. Efforts were made to identify the victims using fingerprints and DNA samples provided by family members. By early January 2025, all victims had been identified, and search operations were completed.

Investigation

The crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 is being looked into by South Korea's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, with help from groups like the US National Transportation Safety Board and Boeing. Investigators arrived at the crash site on December 31, 2024.

Both flight recorders—the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder—were found and taken for analysis. A preliminary report came out in January 2025.

Experts think bad weather and a bird strike may have caused problems with the landing gear. The airport where the crash happened sees more bird strikes than most others. Investigators also looked into why some parts of the plane, like the thrust reversers and wing flaps, didn’t work right. They found bird feathers in the engines, confirming a bird strike happened.

Aftermath

The government declared Muan a special disaster zone and announced a period of national mourning until 5 January 2025. Many cities set up memorial altars for the victims, and thousands of people visited these sites to show their support.

Leaders in South Korea, including acting president Choi Sang-mok, visited the crash site and met with families of those affected. Many events, including New Year celebrations, were cancelled out of respect. Flights by Jeju Air were reduced for maintenance, and inspections were ordered for all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by South Korean airlines. Families of the victims formed a support group and worked together during the difficult time.

Reactions

Suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol expressed his condolences through social media. Both his People Power Party and the opposition Democratic Party agreed to form a special committee to investigate the crash.

Jeju Air apologized for the accident and temporarily stopped ticket sales. The airline sent employees to help families in Muan County. Data showed a drop in passengers in the week after the crash.

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra offered help to the families of Thai victims. Leaders from around the world, including the European Union and the United Nations, also shared their condolences.