The case of the South Korean plane
South Korean plane crash: Police raid Muan airport, Jeju Air offices
Pressure is mounting on authorities to determine the cause of the crash that killed 179 people
South Korean police raided Muan International Airport, the scene of Sunday's plane crash that killed 179 people, as well as the offices of the airline operating the flight, media reported.
Jeju Air Flight 2216 was carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea when it released a call and landed belly up on the runway, hitting an obstacle and bursting into flames. Two flight attendants survived the crash, the country's worst air disaster on land.
The accident now appears to involve the involvement of the police, with the media reporting that officers have also raided a third location, the office of a regional aviation authority, on suspicion of professional negligence that led to to death
"Regarding the plane crash that occurred on December 29, a search and seizure operation was conducted starting at 9 a.m. on January 2 in three locations," including Muan Airport , the Jeju Air office in Seoul, as well as a regional airline. Office, said a police statement. "The police plan to quickly and thoroughly determine the cause and responsibility for this accident in accordance with the law and principles."
Investigators plan to seize documents and materials related to the operation and maintenance of the aircraft, as well as the operation of the airport facility, a police official told Reuters.
An official said police had prevented Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae and another unidentified official from leaving the country, calling key witnesses who could be charged with causing death by negligence, which is punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine of up to 20 million won (£10,950).
Pressure is mounting on authorities to determine the cause of the crash, which occurred after the Boeing 737-800's landing gear apparently failed to deploy when landed in the southwestern city of Muan on Sunday morning.
Investigators have recovered two black boxes from the charred remains of the plane and are working to decipher data from the cockpit voice recorder.
However, the plane's flight data recorder is due to be transferred to the United States for analysis after local authorities said they were unable to extract the data from the plane, which was damaged in the crash. The government has ordered an emergency safety inspection of all South Korean flight operations, while special checks, focusing on landing gear, are being carried out on all 101 Boeing 737-800s used by the country's six airlines.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok said "immediate action" would be taken if the inspections revealed irregularities in the planes.
"Since there is great public concern about the same model of aircraft involved in the accident, the Ministry of Transport and relevant agencies will conduct a thorough inspection of operational maintenance, training and education," Choi said on Thursday. If any problems are discovered during the inspection, please take immediate corrective action. »
The investigation has yet to determine why the landing gear appears to have failed, with bird strike and mechanical failure among the possible causes.
It is also focusing on a concrete barrier near the end of the runway, the location of which has drawn criticism from aviation experts. The passengers are believed to have died when the plane hit a barrier at high speed, caught fire and broke into pieces.
Relatives of the victims, including five children under 10 and nine members of the same family, were allowed to visit the scene on Wednesday for the first time since the crash.
They ate tteokguk - a rice cake soup traditionally eaten on New Year's Day - and cried as they said goodbye to their loved ones.
Hundreds of people waited patiently to pay their respects to their loved ones at a nearby memorial altar erected in honor of the victims, forming a line that stretched several hundred meters. Other altars have been erected across the country. You've read 11 articles in the past year
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A New Year's Resolution You Can Actually Keep
These days, I have only one rule when it comes to New Year's resolutions: Under no circumstances write them down. Don't put them on social media, on a post-it note on your bathroom mirror, or in the notes section of your phone. Chances are you won't keep them, but as long as you write them down, chances are you won't remember to do them until next December.
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