Sure, here’s a revised version of the article with a natural and engaging tone:
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In a tragic turn of events, at least 122 individuals lost their lives after a South Korean passenger plane crashed while landing on Sunday. The accident has been described by local authorities as one of the most devastating aviation disasters in the nation’s history.
The ill-fated Jeju Air flight, packed with 181 passengers returning from Bangkok, faced a critical failure as it attempted to land. The landing gear malfunctioned, causing the aircraft to skid along the runway before it collided with a wall and erupted into flames at Muan International Airport located in the southern region of the country.
An official from the national fire agency reported that two crew members were miraculously pulled from the tail of the ravaged aircraft. However, hopes dimmed as fears grew that most onboard may have perished. More than 30 emergency response vehicles and numerous helicopters were quickly dispatched to manage the catastrophe.
Onboard the flight were 175 passengers, predominantly South Korean nationals with two Thai citizens, and six crew members, as reported by the transportation ministry.
Choi Sang-mok, South Korea’s acting president who just stepped into the role on Friday due to the parliamentary impeachment of his predecessor, addressed the dire situation with urgency. “We’ll conduct an in-depth investigation into the cause of the accident and introduce measures to prevent future occurrences,” he vowed while present at the crash site. “This is a grave situation. We are committed to addressing the damage,” he declared.
Television footage captured the horrifying sight of thick, dark smoke spiraling from what was left of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft. In the aftermath, all flights at the South Jeolla province airport were called off, as noted by local media. Jeju Air quickly initiated emergency procedures and formed a support team for the grieving families.
In a heartfelt message broadcast on TV, Jeju Air’s president, Kim E-bae, expressed profound sorrow: “We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and their families. We are shouldering this responsibility and will strive to uncover the precise cause of this tragedy.”
As investigations get underway, an airline representative mentioned that authorities are relentlessly working to uncover what led to the accident. During a briefing broadcasted on television, officials pointed out that a collision with birds and adverse weather conditions could have been contributing factors. Furthermore, the transportation ministry committed to reviewing the aircraft’s maintenance records, as the jet was over 15 years old.
In response to the incident, Boeing confirmed its ongoing communication with the airline.
South Korea has experienced several fatal air incidents in the past. Despite these, recent improvements in the country’s safety records have been noted. Over the last decade, government statistics recorded 67 accidents involving South Korean carriers, resulting in 59 fatalities. Historic accidents include a 1983 Korean Air flight shot down by the Soviet Union, resulting in 269 fatalities, a 1997 crash in Guam killing 228 people, and a 2013 Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco, claiming three lives and leaving 187 injured.
Adding to the recent spate of misfortunes, Sunday’s disaster was preceded by another fatal accident just days earlier. On Wednesday, an Azerbaijan Airlines flight crash-landed in Kazakhstan following an emergency diversion from Grozny, Russia. This incident took 38 lives out of 67 passengers onboard, with US and Ukrainian officials attributing the crash to Russian anti-aircraft fire. In contrast, Russian authorities blamed heavy fog and a bird strike, while also acknowledging the presence of Ukrainian combat drones in the vicinity.
Russian President Vladimir Putin offered an apology to Azerbaijan for this sorrowful incident on Saturday but chose to remain silent on the allegations regarding Russian involvement.
