S-Korea confirms that bird strikes were involved in Jeju Air crash

(MENAFN) A preliminary report on the Jeju Air crash in South Korea last month has confirmed that bird strikes were involved in the incident, although the exact cause of the crash remains unclear. The crash, which occurred on December 29, resulted in the deaths of all but two of the 181 passengers on board. The report, released by South Korea's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, revealed traces of feathers and bird blood in both engines. DNA analysis identified the birds as Baikal ducks, a migratory species.

The investigation also highlighted that the plane's two black boxes – the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder – stopped recording approximately four minutes before the crash, complicating efforts to determine the precise cause. The Boeing 737-800, which had arrived from Bangkok, crashed off the runway at Muan International Airport after its landing gear malfunctioned, colliding with a concrete structure and catching fire. Most of the victims were South Korean nationals, with only two Thai citizens surviving.

Air traffic controllers had warned the pilots of the potential bird collision just minutes before the plane's distress signal. Surveillance footage showed the plane approaching a group of birds during a failed landing attempt. Investigators will now dismantle the engines and conduct a thorough examination of the aircraft's components, analyze data from the black boxes, air traffic control communications, and the collision evidence. The Ministry of Transport emphasized that these efforts are critical to identifying the accident's exact cause. Additionally, the South Korean Transport Ministry announced that Muan Airport will remain closed until April 18 and that the report had been shared with the International Civil Aviation Organization, Thailand, the United States, and France.

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