A crash at Muan Airport involving a Jeju Air plane. Photo: Ahn Young-joon / AP
South Korea is continuing its investigation into the tragic Boeing plane crash that occurred on 29 December in Moana, with new details about a possible collision between the plane and a bird that could have caused the landing system to malfunction, Reuters reports.
South Korean Transport Minister Park Sang-woo has announced his intention to resign, taking responsibility for the crash of Jeju Air flight 7C2216. The plane, which was flying from Bangkok to Muan, landed on its stomach during an emergency landing and exploded after colliding with a protective wall on the edge of the runway.
Causes of the accident and investigation
Chief Investigator Lee Sin-young confirmed that bird feathers were found on one of the aircraft’s engines, and video footage shows a possible collision with a bird before the pilot declared an emergency. At the moment, Korean experts, together with representatives of the US National Transportation Safety Board, are analysing the plane’s black boxes to find out the exact causes of the tragedy.
“It will take three days to extract the data and another two days for initial analysis, including determining the condition of the engines at the time of the crash,” said Lee.
Problems with infrastructure security
Aviation safety experts have expressed concern about the stiffness and location of the wall that the aircraft collided with. This structure, designed to support the navigation system in low visibility conditions, was too close to the runway.
“The safety measures taken during the construction of this facility were insufficient, although they met international standards,” acknowledged Deputy Transport Minister Chu Chong-wan.
The police have already conducted searches at the offices of Jeju Air and the operator of Moana Airport to establish possible irregularities in the construction of infrastructure.
Reaction of the authorities and the public
Transport Minister Park Sang-woo said at a press conference:
“I feel personally responsible for this terrible incident. I will step down as soon as the necessary measures are taken to stabilise the situation.”
The crash, which killed 179 people, prompted a reassessment of aviation safety standards in the country. The Ministry of Transport has announced plans to modernise the aircraft landing system and review infrastructure standards.
There are still open questions
Despite the evidence of a collision with a bird, the final cause of the crash remains uncertain. The question remains as to why the landing gear did not open and what prompted the crew to make a risky second landing attempt.
The results of the investigation could have far-reaching implications for South Korea’s aviation infrastructure, as the tragedy has called into question both the country’s technical training and safety organisation.
