South Korean officials investigating the fatal Jeju Air crash have released a preliminary report suggesting that a bird strike may have been the primary cause. 

The six-page report was issued by South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) on January 27, 2025. 

The initial findings show that both engines of the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800, which crashed into a concrete localizer structure at Muan International Airport (MWX) on December 29, 2024, contained DNA from Baikal Teals, a small duck species common in eastern Asia.  

The pilots reportedly spotted a flock of birds while approaching the runway at 08:58:56 local time. The aircraft “made an emergency declaration (Mayday x 3) for a bird strike during a go-around”, as stated in the report. 

As the Boeing 737-800 was flying over the left side of runway 01, it turned right and headed for runway 19 to land. The aircraft aligned with the centerline of the runway and conducted a so-called ‘belly landing.’ However, the report does not provide any initial conclusions as to why the aircraft landed without its landing gear. 

“Both engines were buried in the embankment’s soil mound, and the fore fuselage scattered up to 30-200 meters from the embankment,” the report read. “The empennage flipped and fell beyond the embankment, partially burning.” 

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