Jeju Air Plane Crash in South Korea Kills 179

A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed at Muan International Airport in South Korea on Sunday, resulting in the deaths of 179 individuals on board, with only two crew members surviving. The flight, which had departed from Bangkok, Thailand, suffered a possible bird strike and landing gear failure, leading to a failed landing attempt that ended with the plane skidding off the runway and crashing into a wall. Eyewitnesses reported seeing explosions and thick smoke as rescuers struggled to extinguish the fire, which lasted 43 minutes. South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok declared a national mourning period until January 4 for the victims. Investigators have recovered the flight's black boxes to determine the crash's causes, while family members of the deceased have expressed their grief. The crash has been recognized as potentially the worst air disaster in South Korea's recent history.