South Korea's Choi orders immediate action on aircraft inspection as crash probe ramps up

JejuAir Co

02/01/2025 24:21

SEOUL, Jan 2 (Reuters) - South Korea's acting President
Choi Sang-mok said on Thursday immediate action must be taken if
a special inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated in
the country finds any issues as authorities ramp up a probe into
Sunday's deadly air crash. 
    The conversion of data from the Jeju Air 7C2216 cockpit
voice recorder to audio file should be completed by Friday, Choi
told a disaster management meeting, which could provide critical
information on the final minutes of the doomed flight.
    All 175 passengers and four of six crew members were killed
on Sunday when the Jeju Air  089590.KS  jet belly-landed at Muan
International Airport in the country's southwest and slammed
into an earth-and-concrete embankment, bursting into flames.
    Two crew members, located near the tail of the Boeing
737-800, survived.
    "As there's great public concern about the same aircraft
model involved in the accident, the transport ministry and
relevant organisations must conduct a thorough inspection of
operation maintenance, education, and training," Choi said. 
    Choi's comments at the start of the meeting were provided by
his office. 
    Questions by air safety experts on what led to the deadly
explosion have focused on the embankment designed to prop up
navigation equipment that they said may have been built too
close to the end of the runway.
    The aircraft's flight data recorder, which sustained some
damage, is being taken to the United States for analysis in
cooperation with the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB).
    Investigators from the NTSB, U.S. Federation Aviation
Administration and the maker of the aircraft, Boeing  BA.N , are
in South Korea to help probe the worst air disaster in the
country.
    Choi asked no effort be spared in helping the families of
the victims as the remains of those killed are handed over them.
He also asked the police to take action against anyone posting
"malicious" messages and fake news on social media related to
the disaster. 
    

 (Reporting by Jack Kim; Editing by Sonali Paul)
 ((jack.kim@thomsonreuters.com; +822 6936 1455;))