Bereaved family members reveal last messages sent by victims of deadly plane crash

The final texts sent by some of the victims aboard Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 on Sunday have been published by local media, conveying messages of affection and care before one of South Korea's worst aviation tragedies.

Local News1 reported a mobile messenger conversation that a 61-year-old man surnamed Kim had with his daughter, who was aboard the ill-fated aircraft with her husband. In a group KakaoTalk chatroom for family, the victim said Saturday, "We'll be getting on the plane in the early hours, about 3 a.m. Korean time." As the flight was delayed, her final message was, "It's now 4:19 here."

Kim last replied, "Did you arrive yet, princess?" in what would be the last message to his daughter.

A 64-year-old woman surnamed Choi received the message, "We're going back tonight. Did you get to Gyeongju all right?" from her son, who was on the plane with his wife and 6-year-old son.

In another text conversation posted online, a woman told her mother of apparent trouble aboard the plane at around 9 a.m., mere minutes before the fatal crash.

She wrote, "Mom, a bird got stuck on the plane and we can't land. They're telling us to make a call, all of a sudden." She then wrote, "I'm leaving a message because you won't pick up. I love you, mom."

On Sunday, text messages sent by one of the victims to a family member was reported, saying that the plane could not land because a bird got stuck in a wing. The family member responded some 30 minutes later, asking, "What then? Why aren't you answering the phone?"

The Jeju Air flight from Bangkok to Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province crash-landed Sunday morning after touching down without deploying landing gear due to unconfirmed causes. All 175 passengers and four crew members died, with two flight attendants surviving the crash.