The crew of a Korean Air Airbus A330 tried to land twice at Cebu International Airport
in the Philippines due to poor weather and visibility.
The plane then overshot the runway, leading to an evacuation via emergency slides.
Let’s look at this dramatic incident in today’s video…
Taking place on October 23rd, the aircraft involved was an Airbus A330-300 registered
HL7525.
The aircraft was flying from Incheon International Airport, South Korea, before the accident
occurred at the Cebu International airport.
The carrier has shared that 11 crew members and 162 passengers were on board the flight.
There were no injuries, and all passengers were safely evacuated.
In the aftermath of the incident, the airline released the following statement:
“Flight #KE631 departing from Incheon International Airport on October 24th headed to Cebu Airport
in the Philippines had an accident that diverted the runway due to worsening weather during
landing at Cebu Airport.
Korean Air is investigating the casualties and the exact cause of the accident.”
Later on, Kehong Woo, the airline's President, issued a statement on the carrier's website
saying,
"A thorough investigation will be performed together with the local aviation authorities
and Korean authorities to determine the cause(s) of this event.
We always prioritize safety in all of our operations, and we truly regret the stress
and inconvenience brought to our passengers."
Emergency services rushed to assist with the evacuation.
Reporters on the scene have since captured the widebody ditched over the runway.
Footage shows the nose of the aircraft partially in the ground.
The aircraft’s nose is smashed, as is the front-right section of the aircraft’s belly-
with damage going as far back as the first few passenger windows.
Additionally, both of the jet’s engines appear to have been significantly damaged.
Indeed, just based on appearances, it would seem that HL7525 will be a written-off.
The aircraft reportedly had trouble landing after nearing its destination.
Tracking shows that the plane circled the airport before attempting to land on the runway
at 23:08.
This A330 was delivered to Korean Air new in June 1998.
The twinjet has been with the carrier for 24 years since arriving from Toulouse.
It has been busy operating out of Seoul Incheon, with it being spotted at the likes of Ulaanbaatar,
Hong Kong, Xiamen, Manila, and Ho Chi Minh City in recent weeks.
Some flights to Cebu had to return to their origin airport or else divert to Francisco
Bangoy International Airport as a result of the accident.
As the heavy rains continued, disruptions continued across the country's industry.
Korean Air has been heavily active in recent weeks, particularly since key markets have
been relaxing travel restrictions.
The carrier has also been preparing to ramp up services heading into 2023.
Prior to this incident, Korean Air operated 22 Airbus a330-300s.
Of course, due to this week’s incident, the airline now only has 21 of the longer
A330 variant.
Korean Air first took delivery of the A330-300 in 1997, and acquired many more -300s right
up until 2015.
What’s your reaction to this incident?
Have you ever flown to Cebu before?
Share your thoughts and experiences by leaving a comment!