SEOUL — At least 28 people died when a commercial airplane crashed Sunday at South Korea’s Muan International Airport, a spokesperson for the country’s national fire agency said.
The plane, which was carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, veered off a runway while landing and caught fire after the crash, the National Fire Agency spokesperson said.
Two people — one passenger and one crew member — have been rescued, the spokesperson said.
The flight originated in Bangkok, the spokesperson said.
The first reports of the crash were made between 9:03 a.m. and 9:13 a.m. local time (7:03 p.m. and 9:13 p.m. ET), the spokesperson said. Firefighters put out the initial blaze at 9:46 a.m. local time.
Eighty firefighters and 32 fire trucks were responding to the crash scene at the airport in the southern city of Muan, the spokesperson said.
South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok, and other officials called for immediate and full mobilization efforts “to put out the fire and rescue people,” the Ministry of Interior and Safety in a statement.
The presidential office said in a text briefing that an emergency meeting is being held over the airplane crash.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
