Mid-air panic as ANOTHER South Korea Boeing has ‘landing gear malfunction’ hours after deadly crash that killed 179

FLYERS were left panicking in mid-air after another South Korean Boeing suffered a landing gear issue just hours after the deadly crash that killed 179.

The unidentified malfunction happened on the same model of plane as the Jeju Air flight that smashed into a runway embankment on Sunday and exploded.

Jeju Air Flight 7C101 departed from Gimpo Airport for Jeju at 6.37am local time on Monday but was found to have the defective landing gear an hour later and forced to return.

After safely landing, some 21 of the 161 passengers on board the Boeing 737-800 decided not to get back onto the flight saying they were too anxious to fly again.

Jeju Air transferred the remaining passengers to a replacement flight of the same model Boeing and departed for Jeju again at 8.30am.

A Jeju Air official said about the incident: "The turnaround was a necessary measure for safe operation.

"We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to our passengers."

Jeju Air currently operates 39 Boeing 737-800s out of its fleet of 41.

South Korea's acting president has ordered an emergency safety inspection of the country's entire airline industry after the Muan disaster.

Choi Sang-mok also has asked investigators to disclose the findings of their investigation into the doomed Jeju Air jet promptly.

The crash is now the worst air disaster on Korean soil ever after only two of the 181 on board survived.

They are reported to be a 33-year-old male cabin steward and a stewardess in her 20s who were both pulled from the tail of the plane.

Video caught the Boeing 737-800 'belly land' on the runway without any wheels before skidding along the tarmac.

The plane then smashed into a concrete-reinforced embankment at the end of the runway causing the jet to explode.

What caused the landing gear to fail is not yet clear - but the plane appears to have struck a bird as it was descending to land.

Witnesses who spoke to South Korea's Yonhap news agency said they saw sparks and heard an explosion while the plane was still in the air.

It comes as...

• Only two people survived with 179 dead in the horror crash
• A minute-by-minute breakdown of the crash reveals how a possible bird strike started a chain of events that doomed the plane
• Terrifying footage shows the explosion as the Boeing tried a 'belly landing' at Muan International Airport
• Investigators have recovered the jet's black box as they try to piece together the cause of the crash
• A heartbreaking final text message asked: 'Should I say my last words?'
• Footage emerged of it striking birds moments before landing - and a survivor said they heard an explosion
• Another horror landing also happened in Canada - and a second in Norway on the same night

One said he saw "black smoke billowing into the sky" after hearing a "loud explosion".

Firefighters said most of the jet was "completely destroyed" with some of the bodies left too damaged to identify at this stage.

The fireball tore the plane apart and sent seats and passengers luggage scattered across the runway after the pilots attempted a "belly landing".

Some passengers were also flung out of the jet in the explosion.

Crash investigators are now facing the agonising task of combing through the charred wreckage to find out how the bizarre crash - the deadliest air disaster of 2024 - could have happened.

Soldiers and emergency crews combed the runway and surrounding fields searching for crash investigation clues.

But investigators quickly recovered the jet's Black Box flight recorder which may provide vital clues as to the cause of the tragedy.

Heartbroken families were left grieving in the airport terminal as they received news about their loved ones.

Many of those killed are having to be identified by their fingerprints.

The youngest victim was tragically a three-year-old - with most passengers families returning home from a package holiday to Thailand.

A 60-year-old man was grieving at the airport after five in his family, across three generations, were killed.

Low-cost carrier Jeju Air apologised with officials bowing in front of cameras and vowing to do all they could to help.

The airline said in a statement: "We at Jeju Air will do everything in our power in response to this accident.

"We sincerely apologise for causing concern."

The official said it was "unlikely" the disaster had been caused by a short runway after the plane skidding off the end and hit a wall.

They said: "The runway is 2,800 meters long, and similar-sized aircraft have been operating on it without issues."

A seven-day national mourning period has been announced by the government.

King Charles II paid tributes to the victims of the crash.

The King said in a statement: "My wife and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the horrific air accident at Muan, which resulted in such grievous loss of life

"As the people of the Republic of Korea mourn this disaster, the families and loved ones of all the victims are in our prayers."