Families of the 179 people killed in the Jeju Air disaster have been camping out at the airport as they demand answers over the deadliest crash in South Korea’s history.
Hundreds of family members are still camped out at the Muan International Airport to see the bodies of their loved ones.
Some, who have lost generations in the crash, jostled and argued with officials, angry that they’ve still not been able to see the bodies.
One official told the crowds they are unable to view the deceased as their bodies were “very badly damaged”, according to the BBC.
Authorities have confirmed that all 175 passengers, as well as four of the six crew, were killed in the incident. The only two survivors were crew sitting at the back of the plane at the time of the crash.
Experts said it seemed unlikely a bird strike would have been the sole cause of the landing gear malfunctioning.
Australian airline safety expert Geoffrey Dell said: “I’ve never seen a bird strike prevent the landing gear from being extended.”
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Key Points
- Why did the South Korean Jeju Air flight crash, killing 179? Experts question bird strike claims
- Families camp out at airport demanding answers
- Another Jeju Air flight faces similar landing gear issue – report
- South Korea orders emergency air safety probe after Jeju Air crash
- Why was there a concrete wall at end of runway?
Key timings of the crash
Below, we have some key timings of the Jeju Air plane crash earlier today, according to South Korea’s transport ministry. They show local times in South Korea.
08:57 a.m. – Control tower issued a bird strike warning
08:59 a.m. – Mayday call
09:03 a.m. – Runway crash
11:30 a.m. – Flight data recorder recovered
2:24 p.m. – Cockpit voice recorder recovered
Barney Davis30 December 2024 15:20
Why did the South Korean Jeju Air flight crash, killing 179? Experts question bird strike claims
Experts said it seemed unlikely a bird strike would have been the sole cause of the landing gear malfunctioning.
Why did the South Korean Jeju Air flight crash? Experts question bird strike claims
Aviation specialists question how a collision with birds could have been the sole cause of such a crash
Barney Davis30 December 2024 14:42
Muan has the highest rate of bird strikes among South Korea’s 14 airports
According to data submitted to Rep Lee Yeon-hee of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea, a total of 559 bird strike incidents occurred with planes at 14 regional airports from 2019.
Gimhae International Airport had the highest number of bird strikes at 147, followed by Gimpo at 140, Jeju at 119, Daegu at 38 and Cheongju at 33.
At Muan, a total of 10 bird strike incidents have occurred.
However, when considering the occurrence rate relative to the total number of flights operated, the airport near Muan has the highest rate among the 14 airports.
Investigators are examining bird strikes, whether any of the aircraft’s control systems were disabled, and the apparent rush by the pilots to attempt a landing soon after declaring an emergency as possible factors in the crash, fire and transportation officials have said.
Experts say many questions remain, including why the plane, powered by two CFM 56-7B26 engines, appeared to be travelling so fast and why its landing gear did not appear to be down when it skidded down the runway and into a concrete embankment.
Barney Davis30 December 2024 14:20
In pictures: Families mourn loss at the scene where Jeju Air Boeing 737 crashed
(YONHAP/AFP via Getty Images)(YONHAP/AFP via Getty Images)(AFP via Getty Images)Barney Davis30 December 2024 13:20
What is a bird strike?
A bird strike is a collision between a plane in flight and a bird. In the UK there were more than 1,400 bird strikes reported in 2022, but only about 100 affected the plane.
The miraculous Hudson River landing was needed after the airbus collided with a flock of geese. All 155 passengers and crew survived.
But some aviation experts are sceptical about whether a bird strike could have caused the crash at Muan Airport.
“Typically they [bird strike] don’t cause the loss of an airplane by themselves,” Mr Thomas told Reuters.
Australian airline safety expert Geoffrey Dell also told the news agency: “I’ve never seen a bird strike prevent the landing gear from being extended.”
Barney Davis30 December 2024 12:20
Jeju Air reassure Thai victims they will be responsible for damages
Thai Ambassador to South Korea Tanee Sangrat expressed condolences to the families and said JeJu Air officials had told them the airline will be responsible for costs of tragedy.
“The Embassy has reported the tragedy to the Foreign Minister and (the Thai) MFA and coordinated closely with (the) Korean authorities concerned. Our Consular Department has informed families of the two Thai victims,” he said.
“Our Embassy has also worked closely with Jeju Air officials who reassured us that they would be responsible for the related costs of damages of the victims.
“Today the Royal Thai Embassy in Seoul and Team Thailand offices have lowered the flag for seven days in mourning for the victims. We will continue to work with all local authorities and provide assistance to victims and their families.”
Barney Davis30 December 2024 11:30
Concerns raised over quick 28-minute safety check before fatal flight
The Korea Times reports that the doomed B737 flew four countries in a day, the month before the crash with tight one-hour turnarounds allowing just 28 minutes for safety checks.
One veteran mechanic with over a decade of experience working with B737s told Korea Times: “The 28-minute maintenance time is barely enough to check for cockpit warning lights and visually inspect the exterior for obvious damage. It’s essentially a walkthrough, not a detailed inspection.”
The aircraft involved in the crash was purchased by Jeju Air in 2017 but had previously been operated by Ryanair.
Alarmingly, just one day after the crash, another Jeju Air B737 experienced a landing gear issue and was forced to return to the airport immediately after takeoff.
Barney Davis30 December 2024 11:00
Investigators to probe materials of concrete fence
New acting president Choi Sang-mok on Monday presided over a task force meeting on the crash and instructed authorities to conduct an emergency review of the country’s aircraft operation systems.
“The essence of a responsible response would be renovating the aviation safety systems on the whole to prevent recurrences of similar incidents and building a safer Republic of South Korea,” said Mr Choi, who is also deputy prime minister and finance minister.
Ministry officials said they will look into whether a concrete fence at Muan Airport housing a set of antennas designed to guide aircraft safely during landings should have been made with lighter materials that would break more easily upon impact.
Video of the crash indicated that the pilots did not deploy flaps or slats to slow the aircraft, suggesting a possible hydraulic failure, and did not manually lower the landing gear, suggesting they did not have time, said John Cox, a retired airline pilot and chief executive of Safety Operating Systems in St Petersburg, Florida.
Despite that, the jet was under control and travelling in a straight line, and damage and injuries likely would have been minimised if not for the barrier being so close to the runway, Mr Cox said.
(YONHAP/AFP via Getty Images)
Barney Davis30 December 2024 10:28
Thai family grieves daughter’s death in crash: ‘My daughter won’t come back’
A family in northeastern Thailand are mourning the loss of Jongluk Duangmanee, one of two Thai nationals of the Jeju Air crash, and wish to bring her body home for a religious ceremony.
All 175 passengers and four of the six crew were killed when the Boeing 737-800 crash-landed and skidded off the end of the runway at South Korea’s Muan International Airport yesterday.
Boonchuay Duangmanee, 77, said he must come to terms with his 45-year-old daughter’s sudden death.“I can only accept it, make peace with it,” he told state broadcaster Thai PBS.
“No matter what I do, my daughter won’t come back.”He had felt a “sense of unease” when neighbours told him of the Jeju Air crash, he added, as his daughter often travelled with the airline.
Jongluk, the third youngest in the family, had been working in South Korea for seven years and would visit her home in Udon Thani, about 500km north of the Thai capital, every year.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 December 2024 10:00
In pics: Rescuers comb Jeju Air plane crash site on Monday
A rescue worker stands near the wreckage of the Jeju Air aircraft (REUTERS)Police officers work with dogs near the site of a plane fire outside of Muan International Airport in Muan, South Korea (AP)Alisha Rahaman Sarkar30 December 2024 09:30Newer1 / 7Older