SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea has vowed to conduct a thorough investigation to find out what caused the incident. plane crash killed 179 people and said on Monday it would continue to Check out all Boeing 737-800 Aircraft operated by the country’s airlines.
Sunday’s crash was South Korea’s worst aviation disaster in decades, sending shockwaves through South Korean society, which was already facing a political crisis that led to successive attacks on the country’s two top officials, President Yoon Seok-yeol and Prime Minister Han Deok. Impeach. -Soo.
Here is some information on how the accident unfolded.
What happened and what could be the cause?
Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 took off from Bangkok and landed at Muan International Airport in southern South Korea. The Boeing 737-800 aircraft received a bird strike warning from ground control after its initial landing attempt failed. The pilot then sent out a distress signal before the plane went down with its nose gear closed, overran the runway, hit a concrete fence and exploded into a fireball.
Observers said video of the crash showed a suspected engine failure, but landing gear failure may have been the main cause of the crash.
South Korea’s transportation ministry officials said on Monday they would examine whether the fence the plane hit should be made of lighter materials that are more likely to break on impact. The fence is equipped with a set of antennas designed to guide aircraft to a safe landing. They said they were also trying to determine whether there were any communication issues between air traffic controllers and pilots.
The plane’s flight data and cockpit voice recorder were transferred to a research center at Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport pending analysis, ministry officials said on Monday. Ministry officials earlier said it would take several months to complete the accident investigation.
Does the crash represent another setback for Boeing?
The crash caps a troubling 2024 for America aerospace giant boeingThe company has been grappling with safety concerns, a machinist strike and a plunge in its stock price.
Experts say the 737-800 aircraft is a more mature model than the company’s much-maligned 737 Max jetliner, which was involved in fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019. However, South Korean authorities said they would conduct safety inspections on all 737 aircraft – 800 operated by domestic airlines, including 39 by Jeju Air.
Representatives from Boeing and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board will travel to Seoul to participate in the South Korean investigation.
On Monday, another Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air returned to Gimpo Airport shortly after takeoff when the pilot discovered a problem with the landing gear. Jeju Air said the issue had been resolved through communication with the land-based equipment center, but the pilot decided to return to Gimpo as a precautionary measure.
What do we know about the victims?
Only two people (both crew members) survived. They were rescued from the tail section of the plane, which was the only part of the plane that remained relatively intact after the crash.
One of the survivors was treated for fractures to his ribs, shoulder blade and upper spine. Ju Woong, director of Ewha Womans University Seoul Hospital who treated him, said the man told doctors he “woke up to [himself] rescued. ”
The passengers were mainly Korean but included two Thai nationals.
The Transportation Ministry said on Monday that authorities had identified 146 bodies and were collecting DNA and fingerprint samples from 33 more.
Park Han Shin, a representative for the deceased’s family, said they were told their loved one’s body was badly damaged and officials would need time to return it to the family. He called on the government to mobilize more personnel.
Will South Korea’s political crisis affect its aftermath?
The accident capped a tumultuous month in South Korea that began when Yoon Eun-hye imposed an extraordinary but short-lived martial law. The opposition-led legislature has since voted to impeach Yoon and his successor Han. Vice Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok now serves as the country’s acting president.
Additionally, the security minister resigned and the police chief was arrested for his role in the declaration of martial law. The absence of senior officials directly responsible for disaster relief has caused concern among many.
Cui quickly traveled to the crash site, met with the families of the deceased, and chaired an emergency meeting to discuss the incident.
On Monday, Choi directed authorities to conduct an urgent review of the country’s overall aircraft operating system. He said South Korea should use this accident as an opportunity to formulate measures to prevent similar disasters from happening again and build a safer country.
How has the response been around the world?
World leaders expressed sympathy for South Korea’s handling of the tragedy.
Thai Prime Minister Bai Dongtan Shinawatra expressed his deep condolences to the families of the victims and ordered the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide immediate assistance.
U.S. President Joe Biden issued a statement saying he was “deeply saddened” by the tragedy.
“As close allies, the American people have a deep friendship with the people of South Korea, and our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this tragedy. The United States stands ready to provide any assistance necessary,” he said.
The office of U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he “expresses his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and expresses solidarity with the people and government of the Republic of Korea during this difficult time.”
Pope Francis offered his condolences in St. Peter’s Square, and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he was “deeply saddened by the loss of so many precious lives.”
This report was updated on December 30 to include new information throughout.
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