Reports indicate that a plane in South Korea skids off the runway at the airport resulting in a crash, and unfortunately, 179 people lost their lives.

According to the Associated Press, a tragic event took place in South Korea when a Jeju Air flight veered off a runway and crashed into a concrete fence, resulting in the loss of 179 lives, as reported by the country’s National Fire Agency (NFA).

The Yonhap News Agency attributed the devastating crash, one of the worst in the country’s history, to malfunctioning landing gear. 

The unfortunate incident occurred at Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province. The Boeing 737-800 belonging to Jeju Air, a budget airline in South Korea, was carrying a total of 175 passengers and six crew members when the crash transpired on a Sunday morning.

The National Fire Agency disclosed that among the victims, there were 84 women, 82 men, and 11 individuals whose genders could not be immediately determined. Only two people managed to survive this tragic event.

Firefighters carry out extinguishing operations on an aircraft which drove off runaway at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on Dec. 29. (Yonhap via Reuters)

Firefighters carry out extinguishing operations on an aircraft which drove off runaway at Muan International Airport in Muan, South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on Dec. 29. (Yonhap via Reuters)

According to the NFA, emergency workers rescued two people, both crew members who were conscious. Three people remained missing about nine hours after the incident.

The plane landed at 9:07 a.m. local time at the airport when the incident happened. 

According to the Associated Press, the passenger plane slammed into a concrete fence on the runway after its front landing gear failed to deploy. 

The plane was flying back to South Korea from Thailand, the Yonhap News Agency reported.

Photos shared by local media showed smoke billowing out of the plane.

A senior Transport Ministry official said that the flight data recorder from the plane’s black box was retrieved and that crews were still searching for the cockpit voice recording device, according to the AP.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.