On December 29, all passengers aboard a South Korean airline Jeju Air flight were killed when a plane skidded on a runway at Muan International Airport (MWX) and burst into flames. The airport is in the southernmost region of the country.
The accident in which 179 people died aboard the Boeing 737-800 (bachelor of arts) It was the worst air disaster South Korea has seen since 227 people died when a Korean Airlines plane crashed in the Guam jungle in 1997. A male and female cabin crew were the only two survivors rescued from the flight; the male flight attendant is currently in intensive care while the female crew member recovers in the hospital; she is communicative.
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Families demand answers and criticize the lack of transparency surrounding the plane crash
As aviation experts cast doubt on early theories that the crash was caused by a bird strike, South Korea's acting president, Choi Sang-mok, ordered an emergency safety inspection of the entire operating system. your airline. The National Assembly ousted President-elect Han Duck-soo, who now faces criminal charges after declaring martial law on Dec. 3 in an attempt to quell political opposition.
“We will transparently disclose the progress of the investigation into the accident, even before the final results are released, and keep grieving families informed,” Choi said in a news release announcing the investigation.
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At the moment, the families of the 179 people who died aboard the plane are camping outside the now closed Muan International Airport in protest of what they say is the government's lack of transparency around the investigation.
The director of the aviation policy division of South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Joo Jong-wan, said: “The pilot declared May Day after issuing the bird strike alert,” but the Aviation experts say a bird strike is unlikely.
“I've never seen a bird strike prevent the landing gear from extending,” Australian airline accident investigator Geoffrey Dell told The Independent. Safety Operating Systems CEO John Cox suggested a possible hydraulic failure.
Black boxes shed light on the investigation; victims' families camp in protest
By December 30, the two black boxes aboard the plane had been recovered to assist with the investigation. The voice recorder captured the pilot declaring “yesterday” several times before attempting to turn around (an aviation term for abandoning a planned landing and instead lifting the plane to attempt to land somewhere else).
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Video footage shows the landing gear retracted and the plane landed upside down as it skidded down the runway, caught fire and crashed into a wall.
The South Korean government declared seven days of mourning for the victims and has been helping with accommodation for the families but, as the BBC first reported, authorities have told loved ones they cannot see the victims' bodies. because they are “seriously damaged.” “
The investigation will include a full audit of all 101 Boeing 737-800s. (bachelor of arts) aircraft currently used in South Korea and a team of researchers from Boeing and different international regulators. This includes representatives from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA).
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