The first words from one of the two survivors from the plane crash have been revealed (Image: GETTY)
The first words from one of the two survivors of the fatal Jeju Air plane crash in South Korea that killed 179 other people have been revealed.
On Sunday, the plane skidded off the runway in the town of Muan before slamming into a concrete barrier and exploding into flames after its landing gear seemingly failed to deploy.
The tragedy killed 179 of the 181 people on board the Boeing 737-800.
One of the survivors – a 33-year-old male flight attendant who has only been identified by his last name, Lee – was disorinentated when he woke up in Ewha Woman’s University Hospital in Seoul, according to reports.
He asked, “What happened” and “Why am I here” upon waking up, according to doctors, as reported by MainOnline.
The man also said he had been wearing his seatbelt before the crash, but doesn’t remember anything else after that.
According to local media, Lee was in charge of passenger service at the rear of the jet and suffered a fractured left shoulder as well as head injuries.
He was taken to a hospital in Mokpo, about 190 miles south of Seoul, before being transferred to the South Korean capital.
Another survivor, a 25-year-old female flight attendant identified by her last name, Koo, was being treated at Asan Medical Centre in the same city.
A hospital official told local media: “Koo is currently being treated for scalp lacerations and ankle fractures, and is undergoing treatment for abdominal diagnosis.”
The official said there was no major threat to her life. Joo Woong, Director of Seoul National University Hospital, told reporters there is a possibility Lee could suffer after-effects such as full-body paralysis.
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South Koera’s acting, President Choi Sang-mok, is leading a task force meeting on the crash and has instructed the authorities to conduct an emergency review of the country’s aircraft operation systems.
Choi said: “The essence of a responsible response would be renovating the aviation safety systems on the whole to prevent recurrences of similar incidents and building a safer Republic of South Korea.”
The Boeing 737-800 plane operated by South Korean budget airline Jeju Air aborted its first landing attempt for reasons that aren’t immediately clear.
During its second landing attempt, it received a bird strike warning from ground control before its pilot issued a distress signal.
The plane landed without its front landing gear deployed, overshot the runway, slammed into a concrete fence and burst into a fireball.