With questions about flight safety raising concerns, officials in South Korea are investigating what led to the Jeju Air flight crash that killed 179 on board. Experts have pointed fingers at the concrete barrier that the flight crashed on to after landing.
The investigators will assess whether the barrier was built in compliance with global standards for the runway design.
What led to the plane crash?
Muan fire department officials said the crash might have been caused by a bird strike. However, there is no official confirmation regarding this. It could take around a month to decode the black boxes, as per authorities. The flght recorder was damaged while the voice recorder has been recovered.
Three minutes before the landing, the pilot reported that a bird hit the flight, declaring, "mayday, mayday, mayday". The pilot then requested permission to land from the opposite side following which the air traffic control authorised an alternative landing.
The flight then touched the ground in the middle of the runway but the landing gear was not deployed. It skidded down the runway and crashed into a wall, leading to an explosion.
Is Boeing 737-800 faulty?
Officials are also examining the around 100 Boeing 737 aircraft in the country after Flight 7C2216, which is the same model, operated by Jeju Air crashed on Sunday. Representatives from US agencies, including the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, have joined the probe along with aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
The South Korean authorities are probing more than 100 Boeing 737-800 planes operated by six airlines in the country. The review will cover the operation records of the aircraft, engine and landing gear maintenance history.
Jeju Air officials said its operations will not be suspended during the inspection process, dismissing any maintenance issues that led to the crash. Jeju Air, like other South Korean airlines, is known for its "industry best practice".
Experts say the Boeing 737-800 has strong "safety record" when compared to other models including its successor, the 737 Max. From 1959 to 2023, only 10 fatal accidents involving the 737-800 resulted in damage beyond repair.
The runway at Muan International Airport has been shut down for the probe till January 7.