The United States is dispatching investigators to South Korea to examine the tragic plane crash that claimed 179 lives.
South Korea is grappling with its deadliest plane crash in decades, which has claimed 179 lives as of Monday, a day after the tragic incident shook a nation already facing intense political turmoil.
The United States is sending investigators to assist in uncovering the cause of the disaster, which occurred when a Jeju Air plane crash-landed at Muan Airport and collided with a concrete barrier on Sunday.
South Korean authorities are painstakingly examining over 600 body parts recovered from the wreckage, as the crash site remains engulfed in the grim aftermath, according to the Daily Mail.
Thus far, 141 victims have been identified. The youngest passenger was just 3 years old, while the oldest was 78, as reported by the BBC.
A devastating plane crash in South Korea has left 179 people dead, with just two survivors—32-year-old Lee and 25-year-old Kwon, both flight attendants—rescued from the tail of the burning aircraft.
Doctors at Mokpo Korean Hospital reported that Lee, who sustained a fractured left shoulder and head injuries but remained conscious, repeatedly asked, "What happened?" and "Why am I here?" A hospital official told the Korean Times that she appeared to be in a near-panic state, possibly worried about the passengers and the plane’s safety.
Kwon, treated at Mokpo Central Hospital, suffered a scalp laceration, a fractured ankle, and abdominal pain. According to reports, she had no immediate recollection of the crash but faces significant trauma and injuries.
In response, South Korea’s Transport Ministry announced plans to inspect all 101 Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by domestic airlines and conduct a safety review of Jeju Air, which owns 39 of those planes. U.S. investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Boeing, and the FAA are joining South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) to investigate the accident.
The investigation will also examine whether Muan Airport’s localizer—a concrete structure housing antennas to guide aircraft—should have been constructed with lighter, breakable materials. Similar structures are reportedly in place at other airports in South Korea and abroad, including in the U.S., Spain, and South Africa.
The crash, the worst aviation disaster in South Korea in decades, has sparked nationwide grief and concerns over the government’s capacity to manage the crisis. The country is in political turmoil following the impeachments of President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo after Yoon’s brief imposition of martial law earlier this month.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok presided over a task force meeting on Monday, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive overhaul of aviation safety systems. “The essence of a responsible response is to renovate aviation safety systems entirely to prevent future incidents and build a safer Republic of South Korea,” Choi said, according to the Associated Press.
FINAL MOMENTS OF SOUTH KOREA PLANE CAUGHT ON VIDEO BEFORE COLLISION WITH CONCRETE BARRIER CAUSING EXPLOSION
The Boeing 737-800, operated by South Korean budget airline Jeju Air, aborted its initial landing attempt for reasons that remain unclear. During its second attempt, the aircraft received a bird strike warning from ground control before the pilot issued a distress signal. The plane landed with its front landing gear retracted, overshot the runway, collided with a concrete barrier, and erupted into a massive fireball.
The Transport Ministry reported that authorities have identified 146 bodies and are in the process of collecting DNA and fingerprint samples from the remaining 33, according to the Associated Press.
Park Han Shin, a spokesperson for the bereaved families, expressed his frustration, stating that officials informed them the bodies were so severely damaged that more time is needed before they can be returned to their families. “I urge the government to mobilize additional personnel to expedite the return of our loved ones in as intact a condition as possible,” he said, fighting back tears.
Earlier on Monday, another Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air had to return to Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport shortly after takeoff due to a landing gear issue detected by the pilot. Jeju Air executive Song Kyung-hoon explained that the problem was resolved through communication with a ground-based equipment center, but the pilot opted to return to Gimpo as a precaution.
Joo stated that officials are investigating whether there were communication issues between air traffic controllers and the pilot. “Our current understanding is that, at some point during the go-around process, communication became somewhat ineffective or was interrupted prior to the landing and impact,” he said.
On Monday, ministry officials announced that the plane’s flight data and cockpit audio recorders had been transferred to a research center at Gimpo Airport for analysis. They indicated that it could take months to complete the investigation into the crash.
The Muan crash is South Korea's deadliest aviation disaster since 1997, when a Korean Airlines plane went down in Guam, killing 228 people.
The incident has left many South Koreans shocked and ashamed, prompting the government to declare a seven-day national mourning period through January 4. Some citizens have raised concerns about whether the crash was linked to safety or regulatory issues, recalling previous tragedies, such as the 2022 Halloween crush in Seoul that claimed 160 lives and the 2014 ferry sinking that resulted in 304 deaths.
Video footage of the crash suggested that the pilots did not deploy flaps or slats to slow the aircraft, indicating a possible hydraulic failure, and did not manually lower the landing gear, which implies they may not have had enough time, according to John Cox, a retired airline pilot and CEO of Safety Operating Systems in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Despite this, he noted that the jetliner was under control and flying in a straight line, and damage and injuries could have been minimized if the concrete barrier had not been so close to the runway. Other observers have suggested that the video indicated potential engine trouble, but they believe the landing gear malfunction was likely the primary cause of the crash, stating there is unlikely to be a connection between the landing gear issue and the suspected engine problem.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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