A three-year-old boy returning from a holiday with his parents was the youngest of 179 people who passed away in one of South Korea’s worst plane crashes.
Five children under 10 were among those who passed away when a Jeju Air plane skidded off the runway and crashed into a concrete wall, exploding in flames. Before the crash, the boy’s parents, Kang Ko (43) and Jin Lee Seon (37), shared photos of their family holiday on Instagram.
One photo shows their excited son looking out the window during their flight to Thailand, while another shows him holding his passport. His father had written, “My son is going abroad for the first time on a night flight, and his first passport has no stamp!” The post has since been flooded with messages of sympathy.
The oldest victim was 78. Only two people survived the crash – a man and a woman from the cabin crew – after Flight 2216’s landing gear reportedly failed to deploy.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash. Early reports suggest a failed landing attempt, a bird strike warning, and possible engine trouble, with the malfunctioning landing gear being a key factor. The crash has deeply shocked South Korea. The plane had been coming from Bangkok and was attempting to land at Muan International Airport when the tragedy occurred.
