South Korean officials announced plans on Friday to move the tail section of the Jeju Air plane that crashed last week, resulting in the deaths of 179 people—the worst aviation disaster in the country’s history. The flight, carrying 181 passengers and crew members from Thailand to South Korea, issued a mayday call before attempting an emergency belly landing, ultimately crashing into a barrier.
The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, with possible factors including a bird strike, faulty landing gear, and an obstruction at the end of the runway that the aircraft collided with.
Na Won-ho, head of investigations for the South Jeolla provincial police, stated during a press conference at Muan International Airport, where the crash occurred, “Today, we will lift the tail section of the plane using a crane. We expect there may be remains found in that section.” He noted that further results would be available the following day.
Police have committed to swiftly determining the cause of the disaster and have conducted raids on the offices of Jeju Air and the Muan airport operator to aid their investigation. Meanwhile, South Korea has announced an inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by domestic carriers, focusing particularly on the malfunctioning landing gear observed during the crash.
The investigation is being led by South Korean air safety officials with assistance from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, which frequently aids in global aviation crash inquiries.
Relatives of the victims have been visiting the crash site to pay their respects and retrieve personal belongings. Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who assumed office less than a week ago, confirmed that all victims had been identified and more bodies had been returned to families for funeral arrangements.
Credit: France24
