Von der Leyen Expresses Solidarity Following Tragic Muan Plane Crash

Brussels (Eurotoday) – EU Commission’s Ursula von der Leyen expresses condolences after the Muan plane crash, with at least 167 confirmed dead.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen extended her most heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to the Republic of Korea following the tragic plane crash in Muan. She conveyed her sorrow on X, stating that she was heartbroken upon seeing the images of the incident. She also affirmed Europe’s support, offering solidarity to Korea during this time of grief.

I was heartbroken to see images of the plane crash in Muan.

My deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the Republic of Korea as a whole.

As your partner, Europe stands with you in this time of grief.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) blank” rel=”noopener”>December 29, 2024

What are the details of the crash?

Tragic reports of a plane crash were reported on December 29, 2024. The crash incident involved the aircraft Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 while it was attempting to land at Muan International Airport. The aircraft had travelled from Bangkok, Thailand. On board were 181 people consisting of 175 passengers and 6 crew members. A few minutes past 9:00 AM local time, or 00:03 GMT, it crashed as it was landing at Muan International Airport.

According to the reports, at least 167 people have been confirmed killed. Of those, 85 people died of fire, and the death toll from the fire could be higher since rescue efforts are still on. Of the confirmed deaths, there were 46 women and 39 men. The victims comprised mostly South Korean nationals with only two identified as Thai nationals. The investigators are seeking several causes for the accident. Among them is that a bird hit led to failure in landing gears. The pilot said that he had given the mayday call following a hard time while attempting to land.

The crash of Azerbaijan Airlines in Kazakhstan on December 25, 2024, was another disaster of the same type and had already gained much attention since it was because of the conditions that led to the catastrophe. At least 38 people have been confirmed dead in the crash. Victims include two pilots and one flight attendant. The passengers are citizens of Azerbaijan, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.