In an unfortunate series of events, a South Korean passenger plane faced a tragic incident after encountering a bird strike, leading to a catastrophic crash with significant loss of life.

Amidst the devastation, two crew members were miraculously rescued, as per reports from local media. Following the accident, the nation announced a seven-day mourning period after the heartbreaking news broke on Sunday morning.

The ill-fated flight had been alerted about a possible bird strike prior to its landing, which tragically ended in a fireball, claiming 179 lives.

The Jeju Air flight, with 175 passengers and six crew members on board, was on its way back from Bangkok, Thailand, when disaster struck at South Korea’s Muan International Airport.

Eyewitnesses described seeing sparks flying as the 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 belly-landed, skidded off the runway, and crashed into a concrete wall.

Terrifying footage captured the moment the aircraft was engulfed in flames, tearing apart in a fiery explosion. According to the Transport Ministry, the control tower had informed the pilot about the bird strike before the unfortunate incident unfolded.

Moments later, fire erupted from the right engine, indicating a bird had struck it, which possibly led to the landing gear failure. Amidst the chaotic scene, two surviving crew members—a male and a female—were safely extracted from the plane’s tail section.