At Least 179 People Dead, Including a 3-Year-Old Boy, After Plane Crashes During Landing in South Korea

A passenger plane crash-landed in South Korea, killing 179 people on board, including a 3-year-old boy.

Jeju Air flight 7C2216 “caught fire while landing” at Muan International Airport at around 9:03 a.m. local time on Sunday, Dec. 29, airliner CEO Kim E-bae confirmed in a statement on Instagram. 

The plane, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, was flying in from Bangkok when it “veered off the runway” after landing and “collided” with a concrete fence at the airport, according to local police and firefighters, South Korean news agency Yonhap and CNN reported.

A 3-year-old boy is among the victims identified in the crash, Muan fire chief Lee Jeong-Hyun announced in a news briefing, per CNN.

Two crew members are the only survivors of the crash. They were rescued with “mid to severe” injuries from the tail section of the wreckage, The Guardian reported. Both are currently in the hospital.

Footage released online of the crash shows the jet skidding off the runway due to what appeared to be a landing malfunction, before hitting a concrete barrier and bursting into flames. The plane was completely destroyed in the crash, apart from the tail section. 

The incident is believed to have been caused by a “bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions” Jeong-hyun stated, per The Guardian. He added that “the exact cause will be announced following a joint investigation.”

Jeju Air CEO E-bae said in a statement, “I would like to express my deepest condolences and apology to the passengers and their families.”

“Currently, the cause of the accident is difficult to estimate and we have to wait for the official investigation of the relevant government agency. As a CEO, I feel the responsibility regardless of the cause of the accident … [Jeju Air] will do our best to find out the cause of the accident with the government,” he continued.

According to E-bae, there were “no signs of issues” before the incident. The plane had been flying for 15 years before the crash with no history of accidents, a company official told Yonhap. 

Witness Yoo Jae-yong, 41, told the news agency, “I was telling my family there was a problem with the plane when I heard a loud explosion.” Second witness Kim Yong-cheol, 70, said they also heard a “loud explosion” when the plane crash-landed, after attempting to land for the second time, per The Guardian.

So far, 56 victims have been identified in the crash, with the passengers being predominantly South Korean and two Thai nationals, Time reported. Among the accounted victims are 84 women, 82 men and 11 others whose genders remain unidentified, the outlet said.

Both black boxes from the jet were recovered after the incident. They include flight data and voice recordings, the Land Ministry confirmed, per CNN and The Guardian.

The plane’s manufacturer, Boeing, wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that they “are in contact with Jeju Air” regarding the incident and “stand ready to support them.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Over 700 police, military and Coast Guard members are currently on the ground at the airport to continue response efforts, searching for and identifying the victims. The bodies of the dead will be released for burial once the identification process is complete, according to CNN. 

South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok reacted to the incident, stating, per Reuters, “The government would like to offer its sincere condolences to the bereaved families and will do its best to recover from this accident and prevent a recurrence.”

The investigation into the cause of the incident remains ongoing.