A devastating plane crash in South Korea has claimed 179 lives, with authorities scrambling to determine the cause of the accident. The Jeju Air flight, carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea, made a mayday call before crashing into a barrier on the runway. Two flight attendants survived.
In a statement, police announced a search and seizure operation at three locations, including Muan airport, the airline’s office in Seoul, and a regional aviation office. They plan to investigate possible professional negligence resulting in death, with suspects facing charges of up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won.
Inspectors have retrieved black boxes from the aircraft and are working to decode data from the cockpit voice recorder. The plane’s flight data recorder has been sent to the US for analysis. The government has ordered an emergency safety inspection of South Korea’s aviation operations, focusing on the Boeing 737-800 models used by several airlines.
The investigation is still ongoing, with possible causes including a bird strike and mechanical failure. Relatives of the victims have visited the crash site, paying their respects at a nearby memorial altar. The government has promised to take immediate action if any irregularities are found during the inspection.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/02/police-raid-muan-airport-in-wake-of-south-korea-plane-crash