A newly released video shows the horrifying final two minutes and 40 seconds before Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed.
Watch: The final moments of Jeju Air Flight 2216
The footage, shared by South Korean media, captures the terrifying descent of the aircraft before it slammed into a concrete structure, killing 179 of the 181 people on board.
The video shows the plane making a sharp turn and coming in for a belly landing at Muan International Airport. After touching down, it slides across the runway and crashes into a concrete base that supported an antenna system. The aircraft explodes on impact, with flames quickly engulfing it.
People watching the video can hear the crew declare a distress call—“Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!”—just moments before the crash. The pilots had reported a bird strike, which happens when birds collide with the plane, usually with the engines or windshield. This type of incident can seriously affect a plane’s ability to fly safely.
The flight’s black box, which records critical flight information and conversations in the cockpit, stopped working four minutes before the crash. This has made it difficult for investigators to understand exactly what went wrong in the last moments.
What investigations have uncovered about the crash
The crash occurred on 29 December 2024, and has become the deadliest air disaster in South Korea’s history.
Investigators have confirmed that both engines of the Boeing 737-800 were damaged. Bird feathers and blood were found inside them, and tests confirmed the remains belonged to Baikal teal ducks, a species common in the area during winter.
Ten days before the crash, officials held a meeting at Muan Airport about the growing threat of bird strikes. They discussed how birds frequently gather near the airport’s coastline.
However, they admitted that they lacked enough equipment and staff to scare away the birds. Loudspeakers used to send out warning sounds were not powerful enough to reach far, and bird monitoring tools like thermal cameras and radar systems were not in place.
Warnings about bird dangers in the area go back to at least 1998. In 2020, experts said the airport had a “high risk” of bird strikes, especially during takeoff and landing, and recommended urgent safety measures. Still, improvements were limited.
The concrete structure the plane hit was part of the airport’s instrument landing system—equipment that helps planes land safely, especially in poor visibility. The impact with this structure caused the explosion that took most lives onboard.
Investigators are still trying to determine how much the bird strike contributed to the crash, and why the black box stopped working. Meanwhile, many are blaming the airport authorities for failing to act earlier on the bird strike warnings.