Screams from Jeju Air Victims’ Families “At Least Let Us Hear the Names of the Deceased”
At 2:30 PM on Dec 29th, the waiting area on the first floor of Muan International Airport was filled with the anguished cries of victims’ families as the names of the deceased were announced.
Lee Jin-cheol, head of the Busan Regional Office of Aviation, held the first briefing for the families of passengers and victims. Lee stated, “As of 2 PM, the aircraft has been disseminated. Among the 181 people on board (175 passengers and 6 crew members), 96 fatalities have been confirmed. Two survivors have been transported to the hospital, and the deceased have been placed in a temporary mortuary. Once their identities are confirmed, they will be transferred to funeral homes.”
Regarding the cause of the accident, he briefly added, “The accident investigation committee will determine the exact cause after collecting all remains.”
After the five-minute briefing, families and relatives, distraught and desperate for answers, pleaded with Lee to announce the names of the five victims whose identities had been confirmed. Some protested, saying, “Just tell us if they’re alive or dead. We need to know so we can go to the hospital.”
When rescue officials called out the names and birth years of the deceased, screams and sobs erupted throughout the room. Families cried out, “We came here to confirm whether they were alive or dead. Why are you telling us only now?”
A police officer who accompanied the briefing explained, “Around 40 officers are working to confirm identities. To prevent misinformation, we are cross-checking belongings and fingerprints. We ask for your understanding. For those whose remains are severely damaged and fingerprints cannot be identified, we will collect DNA samples for comparison with family members. This may cause further delays.”
Meanwhile, at approximately 9:03 AM on Dec 29th, a Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 from Bangkok attempted to land at Muan International Airport but crashed, striking nearby structures and breaking apart. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft, carrying 175 passengers (173 Koreans and two Thais) and six crew members, was engulfed in flames following the crash.
By 9:46 AM, firefighters had extinguished the initial fire and rescued two injured crew members from the tail section of the aircraft. However, most of the passengers are presumed to have perished. Fire and aviation authorities are continuing rescue operations, casualty verification and investigations into the exact cause of the accident.
