Investigations into Jeju Air Incident
The investigation into the Jeju Air crash in South Korea, which claimed 179 lives, is ongoing. Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation, Joo Jong-wan, reported on Wednesday that initial data has been successfully extracted from one of the aircraft’s black boxes.
Extraction of Initial Data
South Korean and U.S. investigators, including experts from Boeing, are working on-site at Muan Airport where the crash occurred. Both black boxes have been recovered.
Deputy Minister Joo Jong-wan stated, “The initial data has been fully extracted from the cockpit voice recorder. Following this, the data will be converted into audio so that the final communication can be heard.”
Regarding the second black box, the flight data recorder, a connector was found to be missing, delaying the extraction process.
Investigation into Causes of the Crash
Initially, the cause of the crash was reported to be a bird strike. However, the investigation has expanded, focusing on additional factors such as the concrete barrier at the end of Muan Airport’s runway.
Local media reports suggest that Jeju Air’s landing gear functioned properly during the first failed landing attempt but failed during the second attempt, which is being closely examined.
Identification of Victims Completed
Challenges in identifying victims arose due to extensive physical damage. However, the Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that all 179 victims have been identified, and their families have been granted permission to proceed with funeral arrangements.
South Korea’s Acting President, Choi Sang-mok, emphasized that the investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident, with continued cooperation from all relevant parties.
