中 "Crash Landing on Airplane in 1998"..."If it weren't for Dundeok,"

[Anchor]
In China, a similar accident 26 years ago is being re-examined.

At that time, the emergency landing was successful and all 137 passengers survived, so what was the difference?

Beijing correspondent Kang Jeong-gyu reports.

[Reporter]
In the middle of the night, the plane that got off the runway with two rear wheels, the cockpit side, turns forward and sparks.

When the fuselage stops after being swept away about 380 meters, the waiting fire brigade runs in and sprays water.

Soon after, an emergency escape slide unfolds, and passengers pour out of the aircraft.

[On-Site Rescue (1998)] It's okay, it's okay! It's safe. Nothing much, right? Hurry up and record it.]

It happened on September 10, 1998 at Hongqiao Airport in Shanghai.

At that time, the front wheel of the Eastern Airlines flight to LA broke down shortly after takeoff at 7:38 p.m.

After communicating with the control tower, the return was decided, but the front wheels did not fold or reopen.

The captain, who decided to crash-land, advised passengers to evacuate to the tail-side auditorium as much as possible.

In order to reduce the risk of explosion fires, the fuel was exhausted by circling in the sky, and in the meantime, fire bubbles were sprayed on the runway.

The emergency landing was successful at 11:07 p.m., three and a half hours after takeoff, and all 137 passengers and crew survived.

The only casualties were nine people who were injured after falling next to the escape slide.

Since then, an accident more than 20 years ago, which was also made into a movie, has been in the spotlight again in China due to the Muan Airport disaster.

Some pointed out that South Korea did not learn the Chinese precedent, but most felt even more sorry.

[Beijing resident] It's very unfortunate. Actually, I think the captain did his best, but as you know, there was a wall at the end of the runway.]

However, the cause of the crash of Eastern Airlines' Boeing 737-800 plane, which killed all 132 people on board in March 2022, remains a mystery.

I'm Kang Jeong-gyu from Beijing.