Adventist Members Among Deceased in South Korea Plane Crash

Several Seventh-day Adventist church members are among the deceased in the plane crash that occurred at Muan International Airport in the South Jeolla Province, South Korea, on December 29. Leaders at the Korean Union Conference (KUC) issued a statement to express their condolences and ask church members around the world to pray for the bereaved.

Among the 179 people who are reported dead, “the plane that crashed was carrying an Adventist lay leader and his wife; their son; two students at an Adventist school and their parents; and an Adventist man on a business trip,” regional Adventist leaders shared.

The December 30 statement also asked church members to pray for those working in connection with the disaster. “We ask God to grant special comfort and peace to the hearts of the bereaved families in this tragic situation, and we hope for God’s wisdom and power with those involved in the recovery and relief efforts in the aftermath of the accident,” the statement read. “We also pray that all those who are deeply saddened by this accident will be comforted in God’s love and that their wounds will be healed through the hope of heaven.”

KUC leaders called for urgent intercessory prayer across all churches and among all believers within their territory and beyond. Leaders also requested members to pray that the cause of the accident be thoroughly investigated so that the same tragedy will not be repeated, and for the government and relevant authorities to strengthen public safety in the wake of this accident. “May God’s comfort and peace be with the hearts of all who are hurting,” they said.

Media outlets reported that the plane coming from Bangkok, Thailand, hit birds in its final approach to the airport. For reasons still under investigation, the pilots were not able to deploy the plane’s landing gear or lower the plane’s flaps in time. After belly landing, the plane, carrying 175 passengers and six crew members, overran the runway, crashed into a concrete wall, and burst into flames. Only two people were rescued alive and taken to health-care facilities.

According to official church statistics, as of June 30, 2023, the KUC had a baptized membership of 263,237 who worship in 699 churches belonging to five conferences and the Jeju Region territory. The church region also includes significant institutions such as Sahmyook University and Sahmyook Foods.