S. Korea's mourning continues; Flight returns over gear issue

People watch news coverage of Sunday's plane crash at Muan International Airport, 290 kilometers southwest of Seoul, South Korea, yesterday. Photos by China News Service

As South Korea enters the second day of its week-long national mourning period for the victims of the deadly Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport, a separate Jeju Air flight was forced to return to its departure airport this morning due to the same landing gear issue that caused Sunday's tragedy.

The latest incident occurred when Jeju Air flight 7C101, a Boeing 737-800, departed Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul at 6:37 a.m. local time for Jeju Island but turned back to Seoul after a landing gear problem was detected shortly after takeoff. The flight, which had 161 passengers aboard, safely returned to Gimpo at 7:25 a.m. after informing the passengers of the situation. No injuries were reported.

This development follows Sunday’s tragic crash of Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which was attempting to land at Muan International Airport, approximately 290 kilometers southwest of Seoul. The Boeing 737-800, with 175 passengers and crew, crashed after a suspected landing gear failure caused the plane to land without wheels. The aircraft skidded off the runway, broke apart, and caught fire. All the 179 people but two crew members aboard the plane were confirmed dead.

People mourn at Muan International Airport yesterday.

The South Korean government declared a week-long mourning period, which began Sunday, and will last until Jan. 4, 2025, to honor the victims. Acting President Choi Sang-mok made the announcement during a central disaster countermeasures meeting, adding that memorial altars would be set up in 17 cities and provinces. Civil servants will wear mourning ribbons during this period, and Muan County has been declared a special disaster area to support the families of the deceased and the injured.

The accident rescue scene after nightfall at Muan International Airport yesterday.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has completed the retrieval of both flight data and voice recorders from the crash site. An investigation is ongoing, with authorities suggesting that a bird strike could have caused the landing gear failure. However, it may take months or even years to determine the exact cause of the accident.