Stillness and shock after South Korea’s plane tragedy – but families’ frustration is boiling over
At the crash site at Muan Airport, you get a really strong sense of just how sudden and catastrophic it all was.
There is an eerie quiet as the army sifts through the wreckage, picking up tiny bits of debris and placing them in small plastic bags.
Tens of metres from the plane you can see countless passenger seats ripped apart and broken bits of aircraft equipment everywhere.
Only the tail of the plane is visible – most of it is destroyed. Engulfed by flames, it’s clear passengers had next to no chance of surviving this horrific disaster.
Live updates: South Korea plane crash
South Korean soldiers work near the wreckage. Pic: AP
The wreckage of the Jeju Air aircraft. Pic: Reuters
In the airport, a morgue has been established, and families are gathered – all in grief, but some still waiting for their loved ones to be officially identified.
They are sat in mournful silence – the arrivals board now carrying the names of those on board.
Sheltered tents have been erected to give families privacy. There’s a stillness and shock that hangs in the air.
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Temporary shelters set up at the airport for mourners. Pic: AP
Mourners at the airport. Pic: AP
Many of those on board were returning from a Christmas holiday to Thailand. Now the loved ones they’ve left behind are gathering at a memorial altar – trying to process the aftermath of South Korea’s worst-ever aviation disaster.
There is a cruel choreography to the aftermath of the national tragedy playing out on an acute and horrifying level for the families of the dead.
Relatives look exhausted. Some have slept on the terminal floor, desperately waiting for official confirmation.
Then, suddenly a man comes to the microphone and starts to read out a list of eight individuals and asks their families to go to gate one.
A woman prays at a memorial altar for the victims. Pic: Reuters
Buddhists monks pray for the victims. Pic: AP
Relatives quickly huddle together and rush outside to a bus that’s waiting to take them to the mortuary.
It is a gruesome process ahead for them. Many of the bodies are in a very poor condition. They can only be identified through DNA testing and fingerprints.
As they wait to board the bus, a group of women starts to weep. It is an outpouring of grief in a society that prioritises privacy. Most are simply too upset to talk.
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What we know about the plane crash – and what went wrong
But at a briefing, frustration is boiling over. Some relatives are shouting at officials, angry they’ve still not been able to see their loved ones’ bodies.
The official tells them they are sorting through more than 600 body parts and are trying hard to avoid any mistakes. It is an uncomfortable truth that’s hard for many to hear.
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Police investigating the deaths of a British couple at their home in rural France have released details from a post-mortem examination.
Prosecutors say Dawn Searle, 56, was found at their property in Les Pesquies with “several” injuries to her head, while her husband, Andrew Searle, 62, was found hanged with no visible defensive injuries.
They are investigating whether the deaths are the result of a murder-suicide or if a third party was involved.
The pair are said to have been found dead by a German friend, who lives nearby, on Thursday after Mr Searle didn’t arrive for one of their regular dog walks.
The couple moved to the hamlet of Les Pesquies around a decade ago and married in the nearby town of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, in the south of France, in 2023.
Andrew and Dawn Searle’s home
A statement from the office of public prosecutor Nicolas Rigot-Muller said Ms Searle was found partially dressed with a major wound to her skull next to a box with jewellery inside.
But no object or weapon was found that could’ve caused the wounds, which an autopsy carried out in Montpellier on Monday found were caused by a blunt and sharp object. There were no signs of sexual assault.
The house appeared to have been quickly searched, while some cash was found in the couple’s room.
Investigators are conducting further examinations, including toxicology and pathology tests, to help determine the precise circumstances of their deaths.
A police officer outside Andrew and Dawn Searle’s home in France
The village of Villefranche-de-Rouergue Aveyron
They each have two children from previous relationships and Ms Searle’s son, the country musician and former Hollyoaks star Callum Kerr, said they were in mourning in a statement posted on Saturday.
Family members are understood to have travelled to France, where they have spoken with investigators.
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The mayor of Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Jean-Sebastien Orcibal, who was also a neighbour of the Searles, said villagers and the British expat community were going to be getting “psychological help” following the incident, which has left locals in shock.
Speaking to Sky News from the town hall in which he conducted the couple’s wedding ceremony, he said: “It doesn’t seem like the problem comes from here because when we knew them and saw them living here they were very happy, very friendly and didn’t seem to have any problems.
“The problem seems to come from the past or somewhere far away.
“It’s an isolated act, it’s very independent. It doesn’t say that it’s a very dangerous territory, in fact, it’s very peaceful and that’s why probably Andy and Dawn chose to live here, because it’s very peaceful.
“Now, did their past come back and get them? That’s another story. That’s totally different from where we are. It could’ve happened anywhere.”
A Foreign Office spokesperson previously said: “We are supporting the family of a British couple who died in France and are liaising with the local authorities.”
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK
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