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A fire service official in the country believes that there is no more chance of survival for the passenger plane that crashed in South Korea. The death toll in the incident has risen to 120. AFP reports.

The accident occurred early Sunday morning. Rescue workers have already rescued two passengers alive.

Lee Hyeon-ji, a response team officer at the local fire department, told AFP that we have confirmed the death toll in the accident so far at 120. However, the death toll may rise. Rescue authorities are evacuating passengers from the rear of the crashed plane.

AFP reported that there were 175 passengers and six crew members on board the Jeju Air plane at the time of the accident. The plane had come from Thailand and was landing at Muan International Airport.

The country’s news agency Yonhap initially reported that two people were rescued alive.

It is known that Muan International Airport is 288 kilometers from the capital Seoul. Authorities have suspended all flights there after the accident.

The BBC wrote about the accident that the cause of the accident is still unclear. However, local media say that the accident may have been caused by a landing gear malfunction due to a collision with a bird during landing at the airport.

Video published by local media shows the twin-engine plane skidding a long distance along the runway without wheels, then leaving the runway and hitting the airport wall. Later, various parts of the crashed plane were seen burning and smoke was seen coming out.

Meanwhile, Yonhap reported that the accident is believed to have occurred “due to a landing gear malfunction due to a collision with a bird” while the plane was trying to land at an airport in the southwest of the country on its way back from Thailand.

Neither Boeing nor the US aviation regulator immediately commented on the accident, but they expressed their condolences and are in contact with South Korea’s Jeju Air.

Jeju Air officials have apologized to the families of the victims.

Acting President Choi Sung-mok arrived at the scene of the crash shortly after the incident. He declared Muan Airport a special disaster area. At the same time, he announced assistance from the central government for the victims.

In the recent political turmoil, Choi has instructed relevant authorities to provide manpower, healthcare and equipment to assist in the rescue effort.

Earlier on Friday (December 27), Choi Sung-mok took office as the country’s interim leader.

In a statement, Choi Sung-mok’s office said that the acting president held an emergency meeting with relevant officials and ordered urgent relief and rescue operations.

Stay tuned with your thoughts.