Acting President Choi Sang-mok of South Korea has ordered an urgent safety inspection of the country’s entire airline operation system following the deadliest air disaster in the nation’s history. All 175 passengers and four of the six crew members perished when a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crash-landed and skidded off the runway at Muan International Airport, resulting in a fiery impact against a wall. Two crew members survived the tragic incident.
The primary focus at present is on identifying the victims, providing support to their families, and caring for the survivors, as emphasized by Choi during a disaster management meeting in Seoul. He stressed the importance of transparency in the accident investigation process and urged swift communication with the bereaved families.
Furthermore, the transport ministry has been instructed to conduct an immediate safety evaluation of the entire aircraft operation system to prevent similar accidents in the future once the recovery efforts are completed. Authorities are also contemplating a special inspection of all 101 Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by South Korean airlines.
Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from Bangkok with passengers and crew on board, was attempting to land when the tragedy occurred. Investigations are exploring potential factors such as bird strikes and weather conditions. Questions remain about the aircraft’s speed, landing gear status, and the role of the localiser antenna in the crash.
The victims primarily comprised local residents returning from Thailand vacations, with two Thai nationals also among the casualties. As families anxiously awaited news at Muan airport, efforts to identify and recover the victims continued. The heartbroken families are urged to come together in response to this tragedy, drawing parallels to past disasters like the 2014 ferry sinking that claimed hundreds of lives.
Emergency workers are meticulously searching through the wreckage at the regional airport near South Korea’s western coastline, where the devastating explosion and subsequent fire rendered the aircraft almost unrecognizable.
Aviation ministry officials have reported that the flight data recorder of the jet involved in the recent incident has been retrieved. However, the recorder appears to have suffered external damage, raising concerns about the integrity of the data for analysis. As of now, it remains uncertain whether the data is in a suitable condition for examination.
The Muan airport is currently closed and is expected to remain so until Wednesday. In contrast, the country’s other international and regional airports, including the busy Incheon International Airport, continue to operate as usual.
Shares of Jeju Air experienced a significant decline on Monday, reaching their lowest level on record with a decrease of up to 15.7%.
In accordance with global aviation protocols, South Korea will take the lead in conducting a civil investigation into the crash. This process will also involve the United States’ National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), given that the aircraft involved was designed and manufactured in the U.S.
The NTSB has announced that it is dispatching a team of investigators to collaborate with South Korea’s aviation authorities. Additionally, Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration are actively participating in the investigation.
Choi, who is overseeing the recovery operations and the investigative efforts, assumed the role of acting leader just three days ago. This leadership change occurred following the impeachment of the country’s president and prime minister due to the brief implementation of martial law.
