At 2:10 AM on December 30th, in the waiting lounge on the second floor of Muan Airport, South Korea somber atmosphere enveloped the area as the families of the victims gathered, anxiously awaiting news. Families who had already identified their loved ones silently mourned, while those still waiting for news were engulfed in worry and desperation.
Although the Korean Red Cross had set up temporary tents for shelter, many families refused to leave the waiting area, hoping to hear any updates. The sound of sobbing from within the tents clearly reflected their immense grief.
One of the victims recently identified was Ms. Kim Ha Eun, 42 years old. She lived with her three children in Osan and had traveled to Thailand with her family of nine for her father’s 80th birthday celebration. Tragically, this meaningful vacation ended in disaster when the plane crashed on its return journey.
Currently, only four out of the nine family members of Ms. Kim have been identified. Ms. Kim’s body is being kept in a temporary morgue. Her brother, Mr. Kim Min Seok, came to identify his sister’s remains. In his shock, he briefly said, “I am not calm enough or have the time to speak for an interview.”
According to the South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, as of 2:00 AM on December 30th:
- 179 bodies have been recovered.
- 133 of them have been identified.
- 46 people are still waiting for identification.
The head of the Ministry, Mr. Park Sang Woo, stated, “The identified victims will be transferred to funeral homes according to the family’s wishes for funeral arrangements.”