Pet dog to be rehomed after waiting fruitlessly for return of family on board doomed Jeju Air flight

It had waited patiently for its owner and other family members to arrive home — but they never did.

What the pet dog named Pudding didn't know, was that the nine family members, including a 79-year-old man and his six-year-old granddaughter, had perished on board Jeju Air flight 2216.

The plane was carrying 181 passengers from Thailand to South Korea on Sunday (Dec 29) when it landed at Muan International Airport and hit a barrier before bursting into flames. Only two crew members survived.

Among the passengers was the elderly man — the oldest passenger on the flight — as well as his wife, two daughters, a son-in-law, his granddaughter and three grandsons.

Another son-in-law who did not join the three-generational family on the trip is now left to deal with the unimaginable loss.

Pudding was reportedly living with the elderly man and his family in a village located in Yeonggwang county, South Jeolla province, according to media outlets.

Two days after the tragedy, Pudding was seen roaming the streets between the home and village streets, seemingly trying to locate his family.

According to The Korea Times, villagers said they saw the dog lingering near the empty family home and watching passing cars.

It was later rescued by animal rights organisation Coexistence of Animal Rights on Earth (Care) and admitted to a veterinary hospital in Seoul.

The group had described their encounter with the dog: "We found Pudding sitting quietly outside the village hall. When we approached, it ran toward us with excitement, as if still waiting for its family."

Pudding's health is being monitored as its vomit contained "harmful food" such as onions and chicken bones, a representative from Care was quoted by The Korea Times as saying.

Care