Firefighters inspect the interior of the Jeju Air passenger plane at the crash and explosion site at Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, Sunday. Yonhap

Under the dark skies of Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, firefighter A lowered his head in anguish on the night of Dec. 29. He had been working tirelessly to recover the victims of the Jeju Air flight 2216 crash, where all 179 passengers perished, except for two rescued crew members.

A grim expression overtook A's face as he recalled a tragedy from a decade ago. In April 2014, he had been dispatched to the Sewol ferry disaster, where 304 people, including high school students, lost their lives in the icy waters off Jindo's Maenggol Strait.

Even with years of experience in responding to catastrophes, the veteran firefighter struggled to contain his emotional pain as he encountered another harrowing scene. "It's truly unbearable," he said, bowing his head.

Firefighters who spoke to the Hankook Ilbo on Dec. 29 and 30 described the crash site as overwhelmingly grim. The collision and subsequent fire left the victims' remains severely damaged.

"There's no way to describe it except as utterly horrific," said A. "It was impossible to identify the victims by their faces or even their locations. We had to go through the passenger list and painstakingly match any fingerprints we could find."

He said that DNA sampling was also necessary for many victims due to the unrecognizable state of the remains.

The aircraft had attempted a belly landing after its landing gear failed to deploy. Losing control of its speed, it collided with a structure at the runway's end, igniting in flames. The impact and fire reduced the plane to ashes, with only the tail section remaining somewhat intact. All the seats were destroyed in the blaze.

Lee Jin-cheol, head of the Busan Regional Aviation Administration, said during a 3 a.m. briefing on Dec. 30, "There are hardly any intact bodies. The physical damage is so extensive that identification is extremely difficult."

Rescue workers conduct a search operation at the site of the Jeju Air passenger plane crash and explosion at Muan International Airport in Muan County, South Jeolla Province, Monday. Yonhap

Unrelenting efforts despite emotional toll

Over 500 firefighters from nearby stations were deployed to the site, arriving around 9:30 a.m. Most worked for over 10 hours, recovering remains and searching the wreckage. "We couldn't rest or even eat properly," A said. "The scene wouldn't allow for it."

Another firefighter, B, described the scene in a cracked voice. "The wreckage of the plane and the personal belongings, all burned and tangled together, created an unimaginably tragic sight," he said.

Adding to the emotional weight, many firefighters knew the victims personally. "Many of the passengers were local families on group tours," B said. "Most of the firefighters here are from nearby towns like Mokpo. Some lost neighbors or acquaintances, but they're doing their best to suppress their grief and carry out the recovery efforts."

As the country grapples with the aftermath of the tragedy, the sacrifices and emotional toll on first responders once again highlight the need for reflection and systemic changes to prevent such disasters. For veterans like firefighter A, the haunting memories of past and present tragedies remain heavy, yet they continue their work with quiet resilience.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.