Korean Air plane with 173 passengers badly damaged after overshooting runway

The Airbus A330 plane had flown in from Seoul, South Korea into the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) in Cebu province amid inclement weather on October 23.

Korean Air in a statement said that flight number KE631 had tried landing on the tarmac twice but overshot and crashed on its third attempt.

The company said: 'Passengers have been escorted to three local hotels and an alternative flight is being arranged.

'We are currently identifying the cause of the incident.'

Korean Air President Keehong Woo apologised to passengers.

He said: 'We remain committed to standing behind our promise of safe operations and will do our very best to institute measures to prevent its recurrence.'

No injuries or casualties have been reported, but several flights were diverted after the runway was closed as authorities prepared to tow the plane away.

MCIA management said in a statement: 'We confirm that at 11:11 pm on 23 October, Sunday, Korean Air flight number KE631 from Incheon, South Korea overshot the runway in a landing attempt during heavy rains at the MCIA.

'No one was hurt during the incident. All 162 passengers and 11 crew onboard the A330 aircraft were immediately evacuated and tended to by airport emergency personnel.

'The incident has necessitated the temporary closure of the MCIA runway to allow for the safe removal of the aircraft. For now, all international and domestic flights to and from MCIA are canceled until further notice.