New Delhi:
“Is there absolutely no chance of survival?” The heartbreaking question echoed through a conference room at Muan International Airport as families of passengers on the ill-fated Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 clung to dwindling hope. The plane, carrying 181 people, crashed early Sunday morning, with all but two people feared dead. Two crew members were pulled from the wreckage during an ongoing rescue operation, officials confirmed.
As families gathered at the airport, the sound of sobbing filled the air. About four hours after the crash, former Muan fire chief Lee Jeong-Hyeon addressed the distraught families. “It is believed that most of the 181 people on board the plane were killed,” he said. local sales point. The room, containing more than a hundred family members, was consumed with cries of anguish, some collapsing under the weight of the tragedy.
When asked if there was “no chance of survival,” the chief could only lower his head before replying: “It’s a shame, but that’s what we see.”
A woman, awaiting news about her daughter, fell into her lap as hope faded. Venting his frustration, one man repeated, “How could I…” Others were left speechless, mumbling about their last conversations with loved ones, “Oh dear, you called yesterday…” and “You were so excited to go out and play…”
A 33-year-old woman tearfully said: ‘My sister was on that plane. She had always suffered, but now that her conditions had improved, she started having fun,” she told a local newspaper.
Families, already devastated, demanded access to the crash site to confirm the fate of their loved ones. Authorities rejected the requests, citing security concerns. Acting President and Vice Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok visited the airport to offer condolences and meet the families’ demands for real-time updates. “Please think of our families first,” they pleaded, to which Mr. Choi gave a curt response: “I understand.”
The crash led to the cancellation of all flights at Muan Airport. Jeju Air has apologized and pledged full cooperation with the investigation.