Chinese jet hits mountain; at least 118 people killed

KIMHAE, South Korea -- Its passengers screaming in terror, a Chinese jet plowed into a fog-shrouded mountain in South Korea on Monday, killing at least 118 people. The plane caught fire and skidded 100 yards but somehow 39 of those aboard survived.

The Air China Boeing 767-200, on a nonstop flight from Beijing, was approaching Kimhae Airport outside Busan, South Korea's second largest city, when it hit a 1,000-foot mountain near a residential area, police said. There were no casualties on the ground. Survivors said Flight CA-129 crashed shortly after passengers were told to buckle their seat belts and prepare for landing.

"The plane suddenly dipped, then rose and then went down again. Seconds later, there was a big bang and I was knocked unconscious," said Jin Wenxue, a 35-year-old Korean-Chinese man from China's Jilin province.

The plane hit one side of the mountain and then plowed toward the peak, catching fire and cutting a trail of fallen trees 100 yards long and 30 yards wide.

"Bodies were burning in the mud. Survivors were crying in pain," said Bae Han-sol, 15, who rushed to the site after the plane skimmed over his village with a roar.

"We seldom see planes flying over our village, so I thought it was strange that the plane, trembling, flew toward the mountain in fog," Bae said.

Dozens of people were rescued alive, but several died in hospitals. Police said 118 people were confirmed dead, nine missing and 39 alive. Most of the passengers were South Koreans.

Aviation officials said many of the survivors were in the front part of the aircraft, indicating the jet's tail and fuselage hit the ground first. They also said the plane slowed as it skidded through the trees.

A South Korean travel agency executive said he received a call around the time of the crash from a passenger aboard the plane who said it appeared to be in trouble.

Phone call from plane

"The caller said, 'The plane seems to have problems, maybe, an accident,'" Kim Yu-seok said. "After a brief silence, I heard people screaming over the phone."

"Then the phone got disconnected," Kim said. He said the call lasted 15 to 20 seconds and that he at first dismissed it as prank, but then realized the caller was Lee Kang-dae, an adviser to his company who was on the flight from Beijing. He said Lee was among the survivors.

Kimhae Airport is used for both civilian and military planes, and air force personnel staff the control tower. Air force Col. Kim Sung-hwi said the plane was given permission to land because weather conditions were good enough.