Seoul: A passenger plane with 181 people on board caught fire after skidding off the runway at Muan International Airport in South Korea on Sunday. The National Fire Agency confirmed that the incident claimed the lives of at least 85 passengers.

"Eighty-five people are confirmed dead after a Jeju Air plane crashed on landing in South Korea," the country's fire agency confirmed.

"So far two rescued, 85 dead," the national fire agency said in a statement, adding that 25 of the victims were male, 37 female.

Video shared by the local MBC broadcaster showed the Jeju Air plane -- a Boeing 737-8AS according to Flight Radar -- landing at the Muan airport runway, with smoke streaming out from the engines before the entire aircraft is quickly engulfed in flames.

Rescue authorities were evacuating passengers from the rear section of the jet, Lee said.

One flight attendant and one passenger have been rescued so far, South Korea's fire agency said.

"Currently two have been rescued, one passenger and one flight attendant," the national fire agency said in a statement, adding that 32 fire trucks and scores of firefighters had been deployed to the crash site at Muan airport.

A bird strike and adverse weather likely caused a fatal Jeju Air crash in South Korea, the local fire chief said.

"The cause of the accident is presumed to be a bird strike combined with adverse weather conditions. However, the exact cause will be announced following a joint investigation," Lee Jeong-hyun, chief of Muan fire station, said during a briefing.

A photo showed the tail section of the jet engulfed in flames on what appeared to be the side of the runway, with firefighters and emergency vehicles nearby.

Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for the mobilisation of all resources to save the passengers.

"All related agencies... must mobilise all available resources to save the personnel," he instructed officials in a statement.

Choi is convening an emergency meeting with cabinet members to discuss rescue operations and response, his office said.

Jeju Air says 'sincerely apologises' after fatal crash

Low-cost carrier Jeju Air apologised Sunday and vowed to do all it could to help after its plane carrying 181 people from Bangkok to South Korea crashed on arrival, killing scores.

"We at Jeju Air will do everything in our power in response to this accident. We sincerely apologise for causing concern," the airline said in a statement posted on its social media channels.

It is the first fatal accident in the history of Jeju air, one of South Korea's largest low-cost carriers, which was set up in 2005.

On August 12, 2007, a Bombardier Q400 operated by Jeju Air carrying 74 passengers came off the runway due to strong winds at the southern Busan-Gimhae airport, resulting in a dozen injuries.

South Korea's aviation industry has a solid track record for safety, experts say.

Last year, a passenger opened an emergency exit on an Asiana Airlines flight as it was preparing to land, with the aircraft landing safely but several people hospitalised.