One hundred and seventy-seven people have been confirmed dead in the devastating plane crash that occurred at Muan International Airport in South Korea.

Out of the 181 people on board the aircraft, 177 have since been confirmed dead, with two crew members taken to the hospital, BBC reports.

So far, 22 people have been identified so far.

Ages of the passengers range from three to 78-years-old, but most were in their 40s, 50s and 60s, South Korean Yonhap news agency reports.

SaharaReporters had reported that a Jeju Air flight from Bangkok carrying 181 passengers and crew crashed while attempting a landing at Muan international airport in south-western South Korea on Sunday morning.

All but two of the people onboard Flight 7C2216 are presumed dead, according to local fire authorities. Two people were pulled from the tail section and are receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.

Although the cause of the crash isn’t certainly known, however it is “presumed to have been a bird strike,” one of the two rescued members of crew have told local media.

“Smoke came out of one of the engines and then it exploded,” Ms Ku, a female flight attendant in her 20s, told Yonhap news agency.

Another survivor, flight attendant Mr Lee, 33, said he did not remember the circumstances of the crash.

When he was being checked over by a doctor in hospital he reportedly asked: “Why did I end up here?”

He added: “I was wearing my seatbelt before landing, and it seemed like the plane had landed, but I don’t remember anything after that.”

He suffered a fractured left shoulder and head injuries, according to the Aju Business Daily newspaper.

Both survivors are in hospital and receiving treatment.

Among the 175 passengers aboard the flight, 173 were Korean nationals and two were Thai nationals, officials have said.

The Boeing 737-800 attempted a belly landing at about 9.03am local time after its landing gear reportedly failed to deploy.

The aircraft was seen skidding along the runway before hitting the airport’s perimeter wall, breaking into two pieces at the front and tail sections and bursting into flames.

Witnesses reported hearing loud “bang” noises before the aircraft struck the wall. Local broadcaster MBC aired footage that appears to show a bird strike incident as the plane was descending. Officials have also said weather conditions may have played a role.

The plane crash has been described as South Korea’s worst domestic civil aviation disaster and marks the first major casualty incident involving a low-cost carrier in the country’s history.

Jeju Air chief executive, Kim E-bae, has issued official apology saying: “Above all, we express our deepest condolences and apologies to the families of the passengers who lost their lives in this accident. At present, the cause of the accident is difficult to determine, and we must await the official investigation results from the relevant government agencies.

“Regardless of the cause, as CEO, I feel profound responsibility for this incident.”

A spokesperson for Boeing told the Guardian: “We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding flight 2216 and stand ready to support them. We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew.”

South Korea’s national rail operator has announced a special train service to help victims’ families reach the disaster site. A bullet train will depart Seoul at 3pm local time and arrive at Mokpo.

The railway company says bereaved families can use these services free of charge and additional trains will be arranged if needed. Mokpo station is the closest rail terminal to Muan international airport.

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