The death toll from the crash of a South Korean passenger plane has risen to 179, with all passengers confirmed dead

The death toll from the Jeju Air plane crash in South Korea has risen to 179, with all but two survivors confirmed dead.

Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216 veered off the runway at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province on Sunday morning and crashed into a wall, causing serious damage to the fuselage and catching fire, Yonhap news agency reported. The accident killed 179 people, and Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, acting president of South Korea, declared Muan County, where the accident occurred, a special disaster area.

Two crew members were rescued

The plane, a Boeing 737-800, took off from Bangkok, Thailand, early that morning. There were 181 people on board, including 175 passengers (173 Korean nationals and two Thai nationals) and six crew members. Only two crew members were rescued.

In addition to the tail of the plane, the rest of the fuselage was almost completely burned, and the site has set up a body settlement to temporarily place the bodies of the victims.

The South Jeolla Fire Department announced to the families of the passengers at the Muan Airport terminal that most of the people on board were presumed dead except for the two rescued. After the plane collided with the wall, many passengers were thrown out of the plane, and they had little chance of survival.

The ministry also said that the fuselage was extensively damaged, and the identities of the victims are difficult to confirm. In addition, accidents can be caused by bird strikes.