A plane caught fire after leaving the runway at a South Korean airport, killing at least 28 people on board, emergency services said.
The plane carrying 181 people was engulfed by fire when it skidded off the runway just after landing and hit a fence. The emergency service said its landing gear appeared to have malfunctioned.
The National Fire Agency said the fire was almost out, but authorities were still trying to evacuate passengers from the Jeju Air jetliner at Muan Airport in the south.
The agency said at least 28 people died in the fire. Rescuers removed two people: a passenger and a crew member. It said it had deployed 32 fire trucks and several helicopters to contain the fire.
Lee Hyeon-ji, a local fire official, told AFP the death toll stood at 29 and indicated it could continue to rise.
“We have so far confirmed 29 deaths in the accident… but this toll could rise due to serious injuries,” Lee told AFP.
Yonhap via REUTERS
Yonhap News Agency reported that the plane collided with a fence after leaving the runway. Emergency services said they were investigating the cause of the fire. Local television channels broadcast images showing thick cushions of black smoke escaping from the plane engulfed in flames.
Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok has ordered a widespread relief response, his office said, according to Reuters. Choi only became interim president on Fridayreplacing former acting president Han Duck-soo following Han’s impeachment. All this follows the government crisis caused by the Declaration of martial law on December 3 of former President Yoon Suk Yeol, who was also later impeached.