This captured Twitter image shows Korean Air’s KE631 flight, which overran the Mactan-Cebu International Airport runway in the Philippines on Oct. 23, 2022. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — Korean Air Co. said Monday its flight KE631 with 173 people on board overran the runway while landing at Cebu International Airport in the Philippines a day earlier but no injuries were reported.
Korean Air expressed its “genuine” regret as it always prioritizes safety in all of its operations.
“A thorough investigation will be performed together with the local aviation authorities and Korean authorities to determine the cause of this event,” Korean Air President Woo Kee-hong said in a statement.
The company remains committed to standing behind its promise of safe operations and will do its very best to institute measures to prevent any recurrence, he said.
Right after the incident, some 162 passengers were escorted to local hotels, some of whom want to return home without going through with their planned travel in the Philippines, Korean Air said.
The B777-300ER is being arranged as an alternative flight to pick up the passengers, it said.
“The Cebu airport is expected to remain closed until 1 a.m. Tuesday (Korean time),” a company spokeswoman said over the phone.
The A330-300 plane, carrying 162 passengers and 11 crew members from Incheon, South Korea, attempted to land twice in bad weather before overrunning the runway on the third attempt at 11:07 p.m. on Sunday, the statement said.
In an AP photo, the plane’s nose landing gear and front underbelly appear to have collapsed and emergency slides remain deployed at the doors.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said it will set up an emergency response team to help handle the incident in the Southeast Asian country.
Currently, the Cebu airport is temporarily closed due to the stalled aircraft and other flights to Cebu are being diverted to nearby airports or returning to their points of origin.
Korean budget carriers’ flights bound for Cebu are being affected by the incident, with Jin Air Co.’s flight from Incheon to Cebu diverted to a nearby airport and Jeju Air Co.’s flight from Cebu to Incheon under delay, the ministry said in a statement.
Air Busan Co. said it cancelled a planned flight from Busan to Cebu due to the closure of the Cebu airport.
(Yonhap)
