Second Jeju Air plane experiences landing gear malfunction, same Boeing model involved Published: 30 Dec. 2024, 10:08 Updated: 30 Dec. 2024, 10:22 Jeju Air's Boeing 737-800 [YONHAP] A day after a Jeju Air passenger plane crashed at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla, another Jeju Air airplane, also a Boeing 737-800, experienced a landing gear malfunction. Jeju Air Flight 7C 101, which departed from Gimpo International Airport at 6:37 a.m. on Monday with 161 passengers, reported a landing gear malfunction shortly after takeoff and was forced to return to the airport, according to airline industry sources on Monday. Related Article The passengers were transferred to another aircraft anddeparted for Jeju Island at 8:30 a.m. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737-800, the same model as the one in Sunday's crash, one of the deadliest aviation disasters on Korean soil. Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216, a Boeing 737-800 returning from Bangkok, Thailand, with 175 passengers and six crew members, veered off the runway after a crash landing at 9:03 a.m. on Sunday. The plane collided with a perimeter fence at the airport and exploded upon impact. Fire authorities confirmed 179 fatalities as of 9 p.m. Sunday, with two crew members injured. Initial investigations suggest a malfunction in all three landing gear systems was the primary cause of the tragic accident. A bird strike is also suspected to have caused the landing gear to fail. Jeju Air currently operates 39 Boeing 737-800s out of its fleet of 41. "The turnaround was a necessary measure for safe operation," a Jeju Air official said. "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to our passengers." BY WOO JI-WON [[emailprotected]]