179 dead, 2 survive in South Korea's worst plane crash in decades

Only two crew members of the 181 people on board a Jeju Air flight survived when the passenger jet crash-landed at an airport in Muan County, southwest South Korea on Sunday, the fire authorities confirmed later on the day.

The bodies of 179 victims had been retrieved from the scene as of 20:38 local time Sunday, and the identities of 88 victims had been confirmed as of 22:00 local time Sunday, the fire authorities said.

The accident marks the worst air disaster in the country in decades after 66 people were killed in a plane crash in 1993.

It was reported at about 09:03 local time Sunday that the airplane with 175 passengers, including 173 South Koreans and two Thais, together with six flight attendants on board, crashed while attempting to land at the Muan International Airport, some 290 km southwest of the capital Seoul.

The Jeju Air flight 7C2216 from Bangkok, Thailand landed without wheels, skidding off the runway and hitting the outer wall of the runway, with its fuselage broken in half and catching fire.

The two crew members who survived the tragedy were rescued at the rear of the ill-fated aircraft, with most parts of the plane severely damaged.

According to South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, minutes before the crash, the control tower had issued a warning of a bird strike.

After making the first landing attempt, the aircraft went around into the air due to the estimated malfunctioning of landing gear and made the second landing attempt with a belly landing that resulted in the disaster.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport said on Sunday that the retrieval of both flight data and voice recorders was completed to look into the air disaster.

The ministry added that it may take at least months to years to figure out the exact cause of the accident.

In a statement on Sunday, the National Transportation Safety Board of the United States said that in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing, it is sending a team of investigators to South Korea to assist with the investigation into the plane accident.

South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok on Sunday announced a week-long mourning period following the deadly airliner crash.

Choi said at a central disaster countermeasures meeting that the government will set seven days until midnight on Jan 4 next year as the national mourning period while setting up joint memorial altars in 17 cities and provinces to express condolences for the victims.

He said civil servants in all ministries, local governments and public institutions will wear mourning ribbons during the period, vowing to thoroughly investigate the exact cause of the accident and take actions to prevent recurrence of such a tragic accident.

Choi expressed deep condolences to the deceased and their bereaved families, declaring Muan County as a special disaster area to provide necessary support for the bereaved families and the injured.

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement on Sunday that the Secretary-General is "deeply saddened" by the news of the plane crash.

"He extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and also wishes a swift and full recovery to those injured in this tragic event," said the spokesperson.

179 dead, 2 survive in South Korea's worst plane crash in decades

179 dead, 2 survive in South Korea's worst plane crash in decades

179 dead, 2 survive in South Korea's worst plane crash in decades

179 dead, 2 survive in South Korea's worst plane crash in decades

179 dead, 2 survive in South Korea's worst plane crash in decades

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed emphasized the persistent challenges in achieving women's representation in decision-making roles, noting that while progress has been made, the journey is far from complete, in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN).

Over the past three decades, the global landscape has seen the implementation of more than 1,500 laws aimed at promoting gender equality. This legislative framework has undoubtedly facilitated an increase in women's participation in various sectors.

Mohammed, however, warned that this progress remains insufficient.

"We've had a lot of success. We're getting more women into decision-making roles but getting them there doesn't necessarily mean that we've achieved the end result of having the impact felt of all the goals that we have asked for. Getting there means it's the beginning of another battle," she said. She highlighted the gaps in women's leadership, particularly in peace-building, development, and technology.

"We, as we open up the space for women's leadership, have to bring in more women to the table. We have to deliver, and that's sometimes harder than when men sit at the table and have to deliver. And we have to make sure that we are working with them in the same way that we believe our participation is useful and come together with that. But for women's leadership - occupy the space, create more for others to come in. We need to be at the table of peace. We are not. We need to be at the table of sustainable development. We are getting better at it, but we're still not there yet. We need to be at the table where technology as it is designed, as algorithms are designed. All of these, we need to be at the table, so that they don't affect us. And I think that this is going to be a continuous exercise in trying to make that happen," Mohammed said.

Despite the challenges, Mohammed expressed optimism in the potential of the next generation of leaders.

"I'm excited about the potentials and opportunities. Young people are doing it better. We're seeing more young women in those spaces. But we as the generation behind them, I stood on the shoulders of some women, and I hope that others will stand on our shoulders. But we need to do more, faster," she said.

UN deputy chief calls for expanding women's leadership in key roles