On 29 December 2024, Flight 7C2216 of Boeing 737-800 of Jeju Air crashed on the runway at Muan Airport in South Korea, killing all but two crew members on board out of 181 passengers. Departing from Bangkok and scheduled to land in South Korea, video clips show that the airplane had landing gear failure and slammed into a concrete wall. It was also reported that a bird strike warning was issued. Victims of the plane crash ranged from three to 78 years old, with most being Korean nationals and two being Thai nationals. This is one of the worst plane crashes in decades as the victims’ families mourn, and questions are left unanswered.

According to the BBC, the head of Jeju Air’s management stated that the plane crash was not due to any “maintenance issues.” Geoffrey Thomas, an aviation expert, said that South Korea and its airlines were considered “industry best practice,” and that both the aircraft and the airline had an “excellent safety record.” Additionally, Jeju Air has formally apologized to the victims’ families and “vowed to provide emergency compensation and cover funeral costs.” In a news conference, Jeju Air’s chief executive, Kim Yi-bae, stated that “Jeju Air had paid the most fines and faced the most administrative action of any Korean airline over the last five years.” He also insisted that “the airline has consistently improved its safety record.”

Worldwide reactions have expressed shared sympathies as Thailand’s prime minister, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, “expressed deep condolences to the families and ordered the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide assistance immediately.” Joe Biden has also released a statement saying that “he was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy (BBC).

Although it should be acknowledged that the victims’ families will be compensated by both Jeju Air and Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that is only the bare minimum. In statements released by Mr. Kim and other experts, they appear to be defending the airline, which can come across as them shifting blame elsewhere. Saying that Jeju Air has improved its safety record over time or that South Korea has “industry best practice” does not help the victims’ families get the answers that they deserve. Furthermore, even though Jeju Air apologized, it does not necessarily mean that they are taking full responsibility for the crash, as they keep deflecting blame. They are also saying that it may take months to fully investigate this crash, but families of the victims should not have to wait as they are already in mourning and pain.

The last fatal South Korean plane crash happened in 1997. According to CNN, a “Korean Airlines flight crashed in the Guam jungle, killing 228 people.” Other than that, there had not been further fatal Korean airline incidents until the Jeju Air one. However, regarding Boeing plane crashes, Air China Boeing 767-2J6ER “crashed into a mountain while attempting to land in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province,” killing 129 out of 166 people on board. Additionally, Boeing has had an issue in the past related to a door plug malfunction that forced an emergency landing after a hole opened up on an Alaska Airlines Flight. More recently, an Azerbaijani airplane crashed in Kazakhstan on 25 December 2024, only days before the Jeju Air crash. The closeness of both events has caused concern over why so many crashes have happened lately.

South Korea is still in its 7-day mourning period as the country grapples with its current political circumstances; the president and acting president have been impeached. Even so, the victims’ families must receive more information about what happened and be able to retrieve the bodies of their loved ones. Jeju Air and its officials must accept responsibility and see to it that future crashes are prevented by implementing stricter safety protocols and practices. It is days into the new year, but South Korea is unable to celebrate as it keeps experiencing the worst.