South Korea says fatal Jeju Air crash cockpit transcript nearly complete
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South Korean and US investigators have been combing the crash site in south-western Muan since the disaster to establish a cause.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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SEOUL - South Korean investigators said on Jan 4 that they were close to finalising the transcript of the cockpit voice recorder from a fatal plane crash that left 179 people dead last week.
The recording may hold clues to the final moments of Jeju Air Flight 2216, which was carrying 181 passengers and crew from Thailand to South Korea on Dec 29 when it belly-landed before slamming into a concrete barrier
South Korean and US investigators, including from the aircraft’s manufacturer Boeing, have been combing the crash site in south-western Muan since the disaster to establish a cause.
“The transcript of the cockpit voice recorder is expected to be completed today, and the flight data recorder is in the process of being prepared for transport to the United States” for analysis, South Korea’s Transport Ministry said in a statement.
Investigators also recovered an aircraft engine from the crash site this week, the ministry added.
The exact cause of the Boeing 737-800 crash is still unknown, but investigators have pointed to a bird strike, faulty landing gear and the runway barrier as possible issues.
The authorities this week carried out search and seizure operations at Muan airport where the flight crashed, a regional aviation office in the south-western city, and Jeju Air’s office in the capital Seoul, said the police.
Jeju Air’s chief executive Kim E-bae has been banned from leaving the country as the investigation continues, the police also said.
The pilot warned of a bird strike before pulling out of a first landing, and then crashed on a second attempt when the plane landed without the landing gear deployed.
Dramatic video showed the aircraft colliding with the concrete barrier at the end of the runway before bursting into flames.
The authorities have started lifting the wreckage of the jet
The plane was largely carrying South Korean holidaymakers back from year-end trips to Bangkok, except for two Thai passengers.
Images from the local media show the authorities handing over items including smartphones, and dried mango and coconut from Thailand. AFP
