It’s an image that tugs at the heartstrings—a young South Korean boy gazing out of the airplane window. This was just moments before the tragic accident that would claim the lives of 179 people, including this innocent child.

The young victim, only three years old, was among the passengers of the ill-fated flight that met a horrifying end at Muan International Airport. The boy, the youngest aboard, was accompanied by his parents on their journey back home from what had been a family holiday.

The Jeju Airliner tragically veered off its course upon landing, eventually striking a massive concrete barrier and erupting into flames. This heart-wrenching incident unfolded due to a critical failure in deploying the plane’s landing gear, an integral system in ensuring a safe landing.

This unfortunate turn of events occurred on a Sunday, leaving a tragic toll in its wake; nearly all 181 people aboard perished. Remarkably, two cabin crew members survived, pulled from the smoldering wreckage by rescuers. These two survivors—a man and a woman—were among the few who made it out alive.

Further heartbreaking details reveal that five of the victims were children under the age of 10, adding to the list of families shattered by this disaster. Many aboard were holiday-goers, residents of South Korea, returning from their travels.

An ongoing investigation seeks to unravel why the landing gear malfunctioned. Early indications suggest a bird strike might have been involved. Questions also linger about the pilot’s decision to attempt a high-speed landing in the center of the runway, a move that resulted in the aircraft failing to stop safely and careening into the airport’s outer boundary.

This tragic event leaves behind not only grieving families but also a community grappling for answers. As investigators work to piece together the puzzle of this calamity, the world looks on, deeply saddened by the loss and hoping for insights that might prevent such tragedies in the future.