No news yet on fate of Thai passengers in Jeju Air plane that caught fire
Thai aviation authorities say technical fault caused fire while landing that has killed 94 people
The fate of Thai passengers on board a Jeju Air flight that crashed while landing on Sunday in South Korea is yet to be confirmed, Thai authorities said.
The accident happened at around 9am local time when Jeju Air flight 7C 2216, departing from Bangkok, was landing at Muan Airport in Jeollanam-do.
As of now, 94 fatalities have been reported out of 181 passengers and crew members onboard.
Technical failure was responsible for the wheels of the aircraft failing to deploy, causing the Jeju Air plane to skid on the runway and catch fire, the Civil Aviation Authority of Thailand (CAAT) said on Sunday.
Upon investigation, it was confirmed that two Thai nationals were aboard the flight, but their status remains unknown. Rescue and recovery efforts are ongoing. The CAAT is coordinating the sharing of passenger information and technical details of the flight. However, as this involves a foreign airline and occurred at an overseas airport in South Korea, the CAAT does not have jurisdiction to enforce regulations or hold the airline accountable for the incident.
"We are currently working to locate the two Thai passengers. Based on our review of the airline's flight authorisation documents, the airline is insured, and this insurance will cover damages and any resulting incidents," said the CAAT.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra expressed condolences via her personal social media, saying:
"I would like to express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and injured. I have instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urgently verify whether there were any Thai nationals aboard the Jeju Air flight and to assess the situation. I have also directed immediate assistance. If any Thai nationals were passengers, we will contact their families and provide updates. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will keep the public informed," she said.
