Jeju Air flight attendant’s first words revealed after surviving South Korea plane inferno that claimed 179 lives

The first words of a Jeju Air cabin crew member who survived Sunday’s plane crash have emerged after 179 died in what’s been described as one of South Korea’s largest aviation disasters.

Sunday’s plane crash saw two members of cabin crew - one female and one male - pulled from the burning wreckage of the aircraft - with a four-year-old boy thought to be the youngest victim. 

Now, the flight’s only two survivors have been identified - a 33-year-old male flight attendant identified by his last name, Lee, and a 25-year-old female flight attendant, by the name of Koo.

The air disaster saw the Boeing 737-800 aircraft forced to land on its undercarriage as it came into land at Muan International Airport, 190 miles south of the capital Seoul.

It followed an in-flight technical issue, with the plane eventually colliding with a concrete wall before bursting into flames with 181 people aboard. 

The two crew members were the only survivors

The crash survivor reportedly awoke at Ewha Women’s University Hospital in Seoul following the crash where he appeared disoriented.

Lee, who according to local media was in charge of passenger service at the rear of the aircraft, suffered a fractured left shoulder and injuries to his head during the crash.

According to doctors treating him, he asked "what happened?"and "why am I here?" upon waking. 

He also said that he had been wearing his seatbelt before the crash, but that he had no recollection of anything after that.

Reports suggest the survivor was initially taken to a hospital in Mokpo, before being transferred to the nation’s capital city for specialist treatment. 

The 25-year-old female cabin crew member is now believed to be being treated at Asan Medical Center in eastern Seoul.

First words of Jeju Air flight attendant revealed after surviving South Korea plane inferno that killed 179 people. Picture: Getty

Search operations Firefighters carry out search operations at Muan International Airport in the southwestern county of Muan on Dec. 30, 2024, after a Jeju Air passenger plane with 181 people aboard crashed the previous day. Picture: Alamy

A hospital official told local media: "Koo is currently being treated for scalp lacerations and ankle fractures, and is undergoing treatment for abdominal diagnosis."

It comes as a second Boeing 737-800 - the same aircraft involved in Sunday’s deadly disaster - found itself in difficulty on Monday following an allegedly similar landing gear issue.

South Korea’s leader has now said there will be a full review of the country’s airline industry following the disaster, with officials still struggling to determine the cause of the crash.

Monday saw the aircraft’s landing gear fail to engage as the flight departed Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport for Jeju island.

However, the flight was forced to turn around following a landing gear issue was detected shortly after takeoff, a spokesperson for the South Korean airline said.

A hospital official told local media: "Koo is currently being treated for scalp lacerations and ankle fractures, and is undergoing treatment for abdominal diagnosis.u Air said on Monday.

Mourner A mourner weeps at a memorial altar for the Jeju Air plane crash victims at Muan Sports Park in the southwestern county on Dec. 30, 2024. Picture: Alamy

"Shortly after takeoff, a signal indicating a landing gear issue was detected on the aircraft’s monitoring system," Song Kyung-hoon, head of management support at Jeju Air said on Monday.

"At 6.57 am, the captain communicated with ground control, and after taking additional measures, the landing gear returned to normal operation. 

"However, the decision was made to return to the airport for a thorough inspection of the aircraft.

"Local media reported that 21 passengers chose not to board an alternate flight to Jeju, citing concerns over safety and other reasons."

The country’s national fire agency said 85 women, 84 men and 10 others whose genders were not immediately identifiable died in the fire at the airport in the town of Muan, about 180 miles south of Seoul.

Emergency workers pulled two people, both crew members, to safety and local health officials said they remain conscious.

The plane was a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet that was returning from Bangkok, Thailand, and the crash happened at 9.03am local time, the transport ministry reported.

New acting President Choi Sang-mok on Monday presided over a task force meeting on the crash and instructed the Transport Ministry and police to launch investigations into its cause.

He also ordered the ministry to implement an emergency review of the country’s overall aircraft operation systems.

"The essence of a responsible response would be renovating the aviation safety systems on the whole to prevent recurrences of similar incidents and building a safer Republic of South Korea," said Mr Choi, who is also deputy prime minister and finance minister.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said in a statement: "I send my deepest condolences to the victims and families of those who lost their lives in the tragic plane crash in Muan.

"I pay tribute to the work of the emergency responders and my thoughts are with the people of the Republic of Korea and Thailand at this terrible time."

The King said he and the Queen will be holding the families and loved ones of those who died in their prayers.

He said: "My wife and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the horrific air accident at Muan, which resulted in such grievous loss of life.

"As the people of the Republic of Korea mourn this disaster, the families and loved ones of all the victims are in our prayers."

On Sunday morning, Foreign Secretary David Lammy posted on X, formerly Twitter: "Deeply saddened by news of the plane crash overnight in South Korea.

"My heartfelt condolences go out to the people of South Korea and Thailand, and all those that have lost loved ones."

Footage of the crash aired by YTN television showed the plane skidding across the airstrip, apparently with its landing gear still closed, and colliding head-on with a concrete wall on the outskirts of the facility.

Other local TV stations aired footage showing thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the plane, which was engulfed in flames.

Lee Jeong-hyeon, chief of the Muan fire station, told a televised briefing that the plane was destroyed, with only the tail assembly remaining recognisable among the wreckage.

Thomas Brown