On Sunday morning, budget airline Jeju Air Flight 2216, coming from Bangkok, landed on its belly at Muan Airport and slammed into a concrete wall at the end of the runway, folding in two and catching fire. . Only two of the 181 people on board the plane – a hostess and a steward – survived the accident, the worst air disaster in history to occur on South Korean soil.
The flight data recorder will be analyzed in the United States
South Korean and American investigators are working at the crash site, where the two black boxes of the Boeing 737-800 were found.
The damaged flight data recorder must be analyzed in the United States, Vice Minister of Aviation Joo Jong-wan announced on Wednesday. The second black box, which contains the cockpit conversations, gave rise to a first data extraction.
All South Korean airlines’ Boeing 737-800s – 101 aircraft from six carriers, according to authorities – are also subject to inspections mainly targeting the landing gears, which appear to have malfunctioned on the crashed plane, reported the general director in charge of aviation security policy, Yoo Kyeong-soo.
“Immediate rectification measures” promised in the event of a problem
South Korea’s new interim president, Choi Sang-mok, said Thursday that “immediate action” should be taken if these inspections reveal any problems with the plane model.
“Due to the public’s great concern about the plane model involved in the accident, the Transport Ministry and relevant agencies should conduct a thorough inspection” of maintenance operations and training, Choi Sang said. -mok Thursday. “If any problem is identified during inspection, please take immediate rectification measures.”
-Officials believe that a collision with birds is a possible explanation for the tragedy. But the investigation is also looking into the presence of a concrete wall located at the end of the runway, against which the airliner rushed before catching fire.
Collection at the crash site
At Muan airport, messages, food and flowers were left near the crash site, notably by relatives of the victims. According to local media, a handwritten message, apparently from a brother of the pilot, was left there with gimbap, popular rolls of seaweed sheets containing rice and other ingredients. “I am overwhelmed when I think of the difficulties you faced alone,” this word says. “You were truly amazing and did so well, so I hope you can now find happiness in a warm place.”
Relatives of the victims were allowed to visit the crash site Wednesday for the first time since the accident. They placed tteokguk, a soup traditionally enjoyed in South Korea on the occasion of the New Year, and said their goodbyes, many of them in tears.
Hundreds of people also queued for several hundred meters to pay their respects at an altar. So many people went there that the mobile phone network was saturated, according to the local press. Other places of tribute have been set up across the country.
