South Korea’s transport ministry has conducted an emergency meeting with the CEOs of 11 airlines in light of Sunday’s Jeju Air flight 7C2216
tragedy. It has also extended mandatory inspections of the country’s Boeing 737-800 fleet by an extra week for additional checks as authorities start lifting the burnt-out wreckage of the Jeju Air
plane.
South Korea holds meeting with airline CEOs
Sunday’s crash – which killed 179 of the 181 passengers and crew onboard the aircraft – was the deadliest on South Korean soil and the country’s worst air disaster since the 1997 Korean Air crash in Guam. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has held an emergency meeting with airline CEOs, including those from Asiana Airlines and Korean Air Lines, to discuss safety measures.
Photo: Thanhliemnguyen | Shutterstock
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, with authorities looking into why the aircraft’s landing gear was not extended and why pilots made such a swift landing upon going around. There is also the question of whether Muan Airport’s Instrument Landing System (ILS) localizer at the end of the runway violated regulations.
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Jeju Air Crash: Why Was There A Concrete Structure At The End Of The Muan Airport Runway?
The structure was built to adjust for the slope at the end of the runway elevating the ILS antenna.
Police recently conducted search operations at offices operated by Jeju Air, Muan Airport and local aviation regulators to seize evidence – while there were no arrests, Jeju Air’s CEO has been banned from leaving the country pending further notice.
Aircraft and airport inspections
In the wake of the tragedy, authorities ordered an inspection of the country’s entire 737-800 fleet, the aircraft type involved in the crash. They initially issued a deadline of January 3rd but have now extended this until January 10th.
The transport ministry said it will closely look at maintenance records, engines, and landing gears. While it has not grounded the 737-800, it said it would not hesitate to do so or even suspend an airline’s operations entirely if violations are uncovered.
Photo: Jeang Herng | Shutterstock
The transport ministry has also begun conducting inspections of airport facilities across the country to identify any safety violations or hazards. Muan Airport’s localizer was built into a two-meter-high concrete structure, going against international regulations that stipulate such structures must be destructible or “frangible” to minimize damage to aircraft in the event of overruns.
According to a Maeil Business report, a handful of other airports in the country also feature similar rigid structures at the end of their runways, including Yeosu Airport, Gwangju Airport, and Pohang Gyeongju Airport.
Authorities begin lifting wreckage
The wreckage of the aircraft has remained at the crash site since Sunday’s accident as investigators pour over the scene. A crane has now begun to lift sections of the destroyed aircraft, and authorities believe that more human remains are likely to be found in these sections.
South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok has told investigators to gather evidence quickly to uncover the causes behind the crash.
The plane’s two black boxes – the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) – have been recovered, although the latter sustained damage in the crash and has been sent to the United States for further analysis. Investigators have successfully extracted data from the CVR and converted it into an audio file, so they will likely have a firm idea of what went on in the cockpit in the moments leading up to the crash.
South Korea has sent members of its accident investigation team to the United States to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) efforts. Investigators are also in the process of analyzing data from over 100 mobile phones owned by passengers involved in the crash – this will include text and voice messages that could help them piece together the events.