President Biden said he was “deeply saddened” by the Jeju Air disaster in South Korea, which killed nearly 180 people.
“Jill and I are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life in the Jeju Air disaster in Muan, South Korea,” Biden said in a statement Sunday. “As close allies, the American people share deep ties of friendship with the Korean people, and our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this tragedy.”
Biden said the United States stands ready to provide assistance in the event of an incident.
South Korean authorities announced that the control tower had issued a warning about birds around Muan International Airport. The pilot called for a “mayday” signal and the aircraft burst into flames.
Only two survivors were pulled from the wreckage. Both crew members were rescued from the back of the plane.
Initial searches reportedly revealed the remaining 179 passengers and crew. Airport fire officials confirmed that everyone died in the accident.
Jeju Air flight 7C2216 was a Boeing 737-800. The plane left Bangkok, Thailand, and arrived at around 9 a.m. local time. One of the survivors said it appeared that a bird had jumped into the engine, causing smoke and an explosion.
A U.S. investigation team including the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Boeing will assist South Korea in investigating the accident.
