Grieving relatives of the victims of the recent South Korea plane crash gathered at the crash site on New Year's Day to pay their respects to their loved ones. The tragic incident involved a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air, which crashed at Muan International Airport in southern South Korea, resulting in the loss of all but two of the 181 passengers and crew on board.
Video footage of the crash showed the aircraft landing without its landing gear deployed, skidding off the runway, and bursting into flames upon impact. Investigators revealed that the plane was experiencing both an engine problem and a landing gear malfunction. Prior to the crash, the pilot had received a warning from air traffic controllers about possible bird strikes and had issued a distress signal.
The Transport Ministry announced that data has been successfully extracted from the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage. The data will be converted into audio files for further analysis. Additionally, a damaged flight data recorder will be sent to the United States for a detailed examination.
All of the victims were South Korean, except for two Thai nationals who were on board the ill-fated flight. Many of the passengers were returning from Bangkok after spending the Christmas holidays.
The bereaved families visited the crash site for an emotional memorial service, where they laid white flowers and paid their respects. The government has completed the identification process for all 179 victims and has handed over 11 bodies to their respective families.
South Korea is currently observing seven days of national mourning in remembrance of the victims of this tragic aviation disaster, which is considered the deadliest in the country's aviation history in decades. In response to the incident, safety inspections of all 101 Boeing 737-800s operated by domestic airlines in South Korea have been initiated.
A team of U.S. investigators, including representatives from Boeing, visited the crash site to examine the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. Officials are also evaluating the construction of the airport's localizer, considering the use of lighter materials that would break more easily upon impact to enhance safety measures.
