This screenshot obtained from the video shows Jeju Air flight 7C2216 running off the runway before crashing at Muan Muan International Airport in South Korea on December 29, 2024.
Li Genying | Li Genying Picture source: Reuters
South Korean police said on Thursday they raided Jeju Air and operators of Muan International Airport as part of an investigation into Sunday’s crash that killed 179 people in South Korea’s worst aviation disaster.
Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 took off from Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, and headed to Muan City in southwestern South Korea. The aircraft landed on its belly and overran the runway of a regional airport, hit an embankment and caught fire.
Two crew members sitting in the stern of the boat boeing company 737-800, rescued alive by rescuers. One person remains in critical condition and another is receiving treatment for injuries, transportation department officials said.
Joo Jong-wan, deputy minister of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Transport, told a media briefing that the conversion of cockpit voice recorder data into audio files, which can provide critical information about the final minutes of the flight, was completed on Thursday.
Jeollanam Province police said in a media statement that police investigators were searching the offices of the airport operator and the Ministry of Transport’s Aviation Administration in southwestern Muan County, as well as Jeju Air’s offices in Seoul.
A police official told Reuters that investigators planned to seize documents and information related to the operation and maintenance of aircraft and the operation of airport facilities.
On December 30, 2024, Muan, South Korea, the wreckage of the Jeju Air plane that overran the runway and crashed at Muan International Airport was located near the crashed concrete structure.
Kim Hong Gil | Reuters
The official also said police had barred Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae and another unidentified official from leaving the country, calling them key witnesses who could face manslaughter charges, which carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison or The maximum fine is 20 million won ($13,600).
Jeju Air director Song Kyung-hoon told a media briefing that the company was cooperating with police.
Questions from aviation safety experts about the cause of the deadly explosion have focused on the embankment, which is designed to support “locator” antennas used to guide landings, which they say was too rigid and too close to the end of the runway.
“Such a rigid structure proved to be catastrophic when a taxiing aircraft crashed,” said Najmedin Meshkati, a professor of engineering at the University of Southern California. He added that it was worrisome that the navigation antenna was mounted on “such a strong concrete structure.” , rather than on a standard structure.” Metal Tower/Tower Installation”.
Joo said the department was still unable to provide clear details on the Muan Airport upgrade plan, which resulted in the addition of structures to support navigation systems.
Joo said the ministry was conducting inspections of locator equipment at airports across the country.
An investigation into the crashed Jeju Air flight is also ongoing and involves South Korean officials, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and plane maker Boeing Co (Boeing BA.N).
It is unclear why the plane did not deploy its landing gear and what caused the pilot to apparently rush to make a second landing attempt after telling air traffic control that the plane had suffered a bird strike and declared an emergency.
The plane’s flight data recorder sustained some damage and is being shipped to the United States for analysis in collaboration with the National Transportation Safety Board.
Joo said Wednesday it may be difficult to release the cockpit voice recorder audio files to the public because they are critical to the ongoing investigation.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board, the FAA and Boeing Co. are in South Korea to assist with the investigation.
On December 30, 2024, Acting President, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Strategy and Finance Choi Sang-mok paid homage to the victims of flight 7C2216 in front of the collective altar at Muan Sports Park in Muan County, South Korea.
Jung Sung-joon | Getty Images
Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok told a disaster management meeting that if special inspections of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating in the country reveal any problems, immediate action must be taken.
“As the public is highly concerned about accidents involving the same model of aircraft, the Ministry of Transport and related organizations must conduct a thorough inspection of operations, maintenance, education and training,” Cui said.
His comments at the start of the meeting were provided by his office.
Mr. Cui requested that while the remains of the victims be handed over to them, every effort should be made to help the families of the victims. He also asked the police to take action against anyone who posts “malicious” disaster-related messages and fake news on social media.
