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179 killed, 2 survive plane crash at South Korean airport

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More details emerged from a fiery plane crash in South Korea that left 179 people dead in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters. It happened Sunday, Dec. 29, at Muan International Airport 180 miles south of Seoul. 

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The jetliner skid off the runway into a concrete fence and burst into flames after its landing gear allegedly failed to deploy. Only two people survived. South Korean officials said the survivors were crew members and did not appear to have any life-threatening injuries. 

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Not long before the crash, the control tower issued a warning about birds and granted the crew permission to land in a different area. The pilot reported a bird strike, but the exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined. Officials said the crew also sent out a distress signal shortly before the crash. 

South Korean transportation officials said it could take months to figure out exactly what happened. 

The plane that crashed in South Korea was a Boeing 737-800, marking yet another setback when it comes to disasters and safety for the plane-maker.

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[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

Turning to international news — we are learning more this morning about a fiery plane crash IN SOUTH KOREA that left 179 people dead in one of the country’s worst aviation disasters.

It happened Sunday at the INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 180 miles SOUTH OF SEOUL. THE JETLINER SKIDDED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO A CONCRETE FENCE AND BURST INTO FLAMES — AFTER ITS LANDING GEAR APPARENTLY FAILED TO DEPLOY.

ONLY TWO PEOPLE SURVIVED.

SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS SAY THEY WERE CREW MEMBERS AND DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES.

NOT LONG BEFORE THE CRASH,  THE CONTROL TOWER ISSUED A WARNING ABOUT BIRDS AND GAVE THE CREW PERMISSION TO LAND IN A DIFFERENT AREA. in fact, the pilot reported a bird strike,  BUT THE EXACT CAUSE OF THE CRASH HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED.

OFFICIALS SAY THE CREW ALSO SENT OUT A DISTRESS SIGNAL SHORTLY BEFORE THE CRASH.

SOUTH KOREAN TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS SAY IT COULD TAKE MONTHS TO FIGURE OUT EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

THE PLANE THAT CRASH-LANDED WAS A BOEING 737-800, MARKING YET ANOTHER SETBACK WHEN IT COMES TO DISASTERS AND SAFETY FOR THE PLANE-MAKER.