South Korea police raid Jeju Air, airport operator over fatal plane crash

Photo : PTI

South Korean police said on Thursday that they had raided the offices of Jeru Air and the operator of Maun International Airport. This was part of their investigation into a deadly plane crash that happened on Sunday, killing 179 people. This is the worst plane crash in South Korea's history.

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The flight, Jeru Air 7C2216, was flying from Bangkok to Maun, in the southwest of South Korea. The plane landed badly and went off the runway. After it hit an embankment, the plane exploded into flames. Two crew members sitting at the back of the Boeing 737-800 were rescued, but they were injured.

The police are looking at the offices of the airport operator and the South Korean transportation ministry’s aviation authority in Maun. They are also checking Jeru Air's office in Seoul. Investigators plan to take documents and materials related to how the plane was operated and how the airport was managed.

A spokesperson for Jeru Air said they are looking into the incident. The airport operator has not yet commented. Experts are asking questions about the embankment, which was meant to hold navigation equipment. They say the embankment was too stiff and placed too close to the end of the runway. Professor Namedi Mesh Kati from the University of Southern California said the strong embankment caused the crash when the plane skidded and hit it. He also questioned why the navigation antenna was put on a strong concrete structure instead of the usual metal tower.

The investigation is also being helped by South Korean officials, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and Boeing. They are trying to find out why the plane did not put down its landing gear and why the pilot tried to land again after telling air traffic control that there had been a bird strike and declaring an emergency.

The plane’s flight data recorder, which was partly damaged, is being sent to the United States for analysis. The cockpit voice recorder’s data will also be turned into an audio file by Friday. This could give important details about what happened during the final moments of the flight. However, officials said it may be hard to release the audio to the public, as it is important for the investigation.

Acting President Choi Sang-mock said that if a special inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft in South Korea finds any problems, immediate action must be taken. He also said that the transport ministry and relevant organizations should carefully check how planes are operated, maintained, and how pilots are trained.

Investigators from the NTSB, FAA, and Boeing are helping with the investigation in South Korea. Choi also asked that no effort be spared to help the families of those who died. He also told police to take action against people spreading fake or harmful news on social media about the disaster.