South Korea will inspect the airline’s operating system after the Jeju Air crash
Firefighters and rescue workers work near the wreckage of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 series plane after the plane crashed at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla province, about 288 kilometers southwest of Seoul, on December 29, 2024 and burst into flames.
Jung Yeon-je | Afp | Getty Images
South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok has ordered the Ministry of Transportation to conduct an emergency safety inspection of the country’s flight operations system, local news agency Yonhap reported reported Monday.
Choi spoke at a disaster response meeting in Seoul after a Jeju Air flight crashed There were 179 deaths and only two survivors at the country’s Muan International Airport on Sunday. This was the deadliest aviation accident in South Korea.
“The pilot declared the flight a day of rest after issuing the bird strike alert,” said Joo Jong-wan, director of the aviation policy department at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.
Choi vowed that the government would “spare no effort” to support the bereaved and declared a seven-day mourning period for the country.
At a news conference on Sunday, Song Kyung-hoon, head of Jeju Air’s management support office, said the airline would support the victims and their families and that the plane was backed by $1 billion in insurance. reported Yonhap.
Dealing with reports that a bird strike was the cause of the crash, Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae neither confirmed nor denied it.
“At present, the exact cause of the accident has yet to be determined, and we must wait for the official investigation by government authorities,” Kim said in a statement Statement from Sunday.
Song denied allegations that mechanical failures or inadequate safety precautions played a role in the crash.
“This crash is not about maintenance issues. There can be absolutely no compromise when it comes to aircraft maintenance,” Song said.
A Jeju Air flight on Monday allegedly returned to Gimpo International Airport shortly after takeoff because a similar problem was discovered with the aircraft’s landing gear.
The accident comes at a politically difficult time for South Korea.
Choi is the country’s second incumbent president in a month. He assumed the role after becoming acting president Han Duck-soon accused on Friday by lawmakers over his reluctance to appoint three judges to the Constitutional Court hearing the impeachment of former President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Yoon was charged just a few weeks agoafter martial law was declared for six hours earlier this month for the first time since the 1979 military coup.
Jeju Air shares hit an all-time low on Monday and were last down 8.53%, according to FactSet data. Shares of other Korean airlines were volatile.
