Update:
South Korean authorities are currently conducting search-and-seizure operations to aid the ongoing investigation into the deadly Jeju Air crash on December 29, which has been deemed a significant incident in the country’s aviation history.
Following the issuance of a search warrant, police raided Jeju Air’s corporate office in Seoul and its other locations across the nation. Certain areas of Muan International Airport, the site of the crash, were also inspected, and records from Jeju Air at this airport were confiscated for further examination.
Representatives from the United States and aircraft manufacturer Boeing are also involved in the investigation.
As of the latest reports, several airline executives have been charged with professional negligence resulting in death, as only two of the 181 individuals on board survived the crash.
Expert Insight
Australian aviation expert Ron Bartsch provided his perspective, questioning the claims that bird strikes were the sole reason for the crash. “I suspect that the initial reports indicating a bird strike or weather as factors are unlikely to be the only reasons leading to the crash,” he cautioned.
He stated: “A bird strike alone would not generally be sufficient to bring down an aircraft, especially considering the pilot’s knowledge of landing risks without proper thrust and flaps.”
Current information suggests the damaged aircraft had made 13 flights in the 48 hours leading up to the disaster, with all three landing gear malfunctioning on the fatal flight.
Kim Yi-bae, CEO of Jeju Air, has commented that the pre-flight inspections did not reveal any issues and maintained that belief that there were no unusual conditions noted during maintenance before the doomed flight.
