Global leaders have extended their condolences to South Korea following its deadliest plane crash, which claimed 179 lives when a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 skidded off the runway and burst into flames at Muan International Airport. Only two people survived the tragedy.
As grieving relatives gathered at the airport, messages of sympathy poured in from around the world.
Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed shock and sorrow in a message to South Korea’s acting president, Choi Sang-mok. “I express our deep condolences to the victims, sincere sympathy for the victims’ families, and wish those injured a speedy recovery,” Xi said, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shared her grief, saying, “As your partner, Europe stands with you in this time of grief.”
At the Vatican, Pope Francis joined in prayer for the victims, saying, “My thoughts are with the many families in South Korea who are mourning today following the dramatic plane crash.”
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called the crash an incredible loss and pain for the victims’ families and acknowledged the toll on the nation during what he described as a difficult period for South Korea.
Iran also offered its sympathies, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei expressing condolences to South Korea and Thailand, the plane’s departure point. The flight had two Thai nationals on board.
The tragic crash has left South Korea and the global community mourning one of the worst aviation disasters in recent history.
