Emergency officials said at least 62 passengers are dead after a plane caught on fire after swerving off a runway at an airport in South Korea, the Associated Press reported.
There were 181 passengers on the flight when it caught on fire as it veered off the runway after landing and hitting a fence at Muan International Airport. Officials said the landing gear of the plane, a Boeing 737-800, seems to have malfunctioned, per the AP.
NBC News reported that the Jeju Air flight began in Bangkok and the first reports of the crash happened around 9 a.m. local time, which is around 7 p.m. EST.
Emergency workers pulled one passenger and one crew member out of the fire. The National Fire Agency said that 32 fire trucks and several helicopters were deployed to stop the fire, the AP said. NBC News reported that the fire was put out around 9:46 a.m. local time.
Jeju Air addressed the incident on its website, writing, “We deeply apologize to all those affected by the incident at Muan Airport. We will make every effort to resolve the situation. We sincerely regret the distress caused.”
NBC said that South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, and other officials called for immediate efforts “to put out the fire and rescue people,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Interior and Safety.
