At least 62 people on board were killed when a plane veered off the runway and burst into flames at an airport in South Korea, emergency officials said, according to the Associated Press. reported.
There were 181 passengers on board the plane when it landed at Muan International Airport, crashed into a fence, veered off the runway and caught fire. Officials said the Boeing 737-800's landing gear appeared to have malfunctioned, according to the Associated Press.
NBC News reported The Jeju Air flight departed from Bangkok and the crash was first reported around 9 a.m. local time, or 7 p.m. ET.
Emergency crews rescued one passenger and one crew member from the fire. The National Fire Marshal's Office said 32 fire engines and several helicopters were called in to contain the blaze, according to the Associated Press. NBC News reported that the fire was extinguished around 9:46 a.m. local time.
Jeju Air took up the incident on the website“We deeply apologize to everyone affected by the incident at Muan Airport. We will do our best to resolve the situation. We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused.''
NBC reported that South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok and other officials called for immediate efforts to “extinguish the fire and rescue people,” according to a statement from the Ministry of Interior and Security.
