A Pregnant Passenger On Korean Air Flight KE361 That Crashed In Cebu Recounts Harrowing Flight

A passenger on the tumultuous Korean Air flight KE361 that crashed after running off the runway recounted the scary flight.

On October 24, a Korean Air plane carrying 173 people on board crashed while landing in Cebu, Phillippines.

According to reports, the plane crashed after attempting to land twice prior but was unable to due to low visibility and weather complications. The airplane attempted to make a final emergency landing but overshot the runway and crashed.

Miraculously, all passengers on board were safe, without any major injuries. Korean Air has announced that they will be conducting an investigation into the incident.

A pregnant passenger on board the scary flight recounted what it was like on the plane. Her account has since gone viral and gives a glimpse of what it was like on that fateful night on KE361.

The passenger stated that the initial landing itself wasn’t as bad as their previous attempts.

The landing itself was smooth, but due to the rain, the airplane’s speed didn’t slow down, and I think we slipped, overrunning the runway. Even when we first tried to land, there was a loud thump that shook the plane before we went back into the sky. If we had tried to land it then, there would have been an even bigger issue… LOL.

— Passenger

The passenger then shared what it was like inside the plane. The passenger stated that seeing how scared the flight attendants were let her know how serious the situation was.

I felt like I was in a movie. After the announcement that we would be making an emergency landing, all the flight attendants were screaming. At first, I was more scared due to the screaming. I wondered who was yelling, and I looked to see that it was the flight attendants. They were continually yelling, ‘Head down!’ I tried putting my head in between my knees, but it was difficult since I am pregnant.

— Passenger

She then stated that due to the smooth landing, people thought that the worst was over, and then the plane was rocked by asphalt off the runway.

At that instant, the smooth landing caught us off guard. People even started to put their heads up, laughing and clapping. I told my husband to keep his head down, just in case, and at that moment, BAM!  We were met with an incredibly loud sound and shock from contact. The rocking and shaking lasted for over five seconds, and the plane lost all power. Then, a strange smell started to appear. People were crying, and it was all a mess.

— Passenger

According to the passenger, the flight crew then checked it was safe to exit the plane before escorting the passengers out via a slide.

We couldn’t get off right away. The crew checked for fires and other dangers before letting us off by a slide. Whenever I saw that planes used only one slide that also acted as a lifeboat, I wondered if that was enough, but to my surprise, the slide was huge. It’s definitely large enough to be used as a lifeboat.

— Passenger

Lastly, the passenger then stated that passengers had a choice to stay at the Sheraton or the Shangri-La, courtesy of the airline, saying she chose to stay at the Shangri-La. The passenger stated she was touched by the welcome she received at the hotel.

At the Shangri-La, they asked if we were on the flight, and despite the late hour, they opened up the lobby shops so we could buy some clothes. We couldn’t bring our bags… They were so kind to us. They gave us a welcome drink and a sandwich, and their kindness brought tears to my eyes. I saw other passengers on the flight, and we all asked if everyone was alright. The passenger who sat in front of me was also there.

— Passenger

Netizens consoled and praised the passengers, flight attendants, and pilots on board for their bravery. Many stated that the fear they must’ve felt was unimaginable.

• “Wow… The pictures are shocking. The author was so calm I didn’t know it was that bad.”
• “Wow, you are pregnant? I hope there aren’t any side effects.”
• “The captain is incredible… It’s so good that no one was hurt.”
• “Wow… The pilot is amazing. Seeing how the front is broken, I think he risked his life.”
• “I teared up while reading this.”
• “Wow, the flight attendants and pilots were amazing… I’m sure they were trained well, but in a real-life situation, it is so easy to panic.”
• “It’s amazing that everyone was safe… Although planes rarely get into an accident, you never know when it will happen… I read during an accident in Japan, passengers were safe due to bracing for impact by putting their head between their legs, but seeing how that is hard for pregnant passengers, it’s even more dangerous for them.”
• “I think there weren’t any casualties since it’s Korean Air. Korean Air has the best pilots.”

What are your thoughts?