The Philippine Embassy in Seoul has flown the Philippine flag at half-mast following the tragic incident that killed 179 of the 181 people aboard Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 that crashed over the weekend at the Muan International Airport.
The Philippine flag is flown at half-mast in the Philippine Embassy in Korea to mourn the passing of Jeju Air passengers who died in a plane crash on Dec. 29, 2024. (Photo from the Philippine Embassy in Korea/Facebook)
The Philippine Embassy in Thailand already earlier reported that there were no Filipinos on board the flight that departed Bangkok and landed on the belly before skidding off a runway and bursting into flames after hitting a concrete barrier in South Korea.
“The Embassy of the Philippines in Seoul will fly the Philippine flag at half-mast in solidarity with the Republic of Korea during its national mourning period until 4 January 2025,” the statement on Dec. 31 read.
South Korea is observing seven days of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast.
“The Embassy again conveys its sincerest condolences to all the victims, their families, and all those affected by the tragic aircraft incident in Muan,” it added.
On New Year’s Eve, reports showed that South Korean had a subdued celebration in welcoming the new year, with its entertainment industry also pausing events in the wake of the plane crash.
South Korean authorities began releasing the bodies of the victims on Tuesday, Dec. 31, as investigators began looking into the cause of the crash, the country’s deadliest in two decades.
The plane’s black box has already been retrieved and underwent surface contamination cleaning, and is expected to provide a picture of what transpired during the accident.
However, reports said that the investigation could take years, with experts urging local officials not to speculate on the likely causes.