After the fatal plane crash in South Korea, the design of the airport's runway has come under fire
International investigators were due to meet in South Korea on Tuesday to determine the cause the deadliest plane crash in the country's history causing authorities to rush to identify victims and experts questioning elements of the airport's runway design.
The national police agency said it was adding staff and rapid DNA analyzers to speed up the identification of the five bodies, which were still unidentified as of Tuesday.
Family members gathered at the country's Muan International Airport, where the crash happened on Sunday, demanded faster identification and more information from authorities.
All 175 passengers and four of the six crew members were killed when the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 belly-landed and skidded off the end of the runway, erupting into a fireball as it hit a wall. Two crew members were ejected alive.
But comments from the airport's operations manual, uploaded in early 2024, said the dam was too close to the end of the runway and recommended a review of the location of the equipment during the planned expansion.
A transport ministry official said authorities would need to verify the document before answering questions.
South Korea's acting president, Choi Sang-mok, has ordered an emergency safety inspection of all Boeing 737-800 planes operated by the country's airlines after a Jeju Air crash killed nearly all passengers on board.
Acting South Korean President Choi Sang-mok on Monday an emergency security check has been scheduled on the operations of the nation's entire airline as investigators tried to determine what caused the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil.
The country's transport ministry said the black box plane recovered from the crash site was missing key parts and authorities were reviewing how to extract its data.
Inspections of all 101 B737-800 aircraft operated by South Korean airlines were expected to be completed by January 3, while the airport will remain closed until January 7, the ministry said.
Representatives from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration and plane maker Boeing have joined the investigative body and plan to meet Tuesday in Moan.
The NTSB said in a statement that it had sent three investigators to South Korea to assist in the investigation, including people with expertise in operational factors and airworthiness.
“If we have more experts, we will send them in,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in an interview.
Questions about the dam, bird strikes
Investigators are looking into bird strikes, whether any of the plane's control systems were disabled, and the pilots' apparent rush to try to land too soon after declaring an emergency as possible factors in the crash, fire and transportation officials said.
Officials also faced pointed questions about the airport's design features, particularly a large dirt and concrete embankment near the end of the runway used for navigation equipment.
The plane hit an embankment at high speed and erupted in a fireball, throwing bodies and body parts into the surrounding fields and most of the plane burst into flames.
South Korean officials say the dam was built to standards and that similar features exist at other airports, including in the United States and Europe.
But many experts say being close to the end of the runway is against best practice and likely makes the crash more deadly than it would otherwise be.
John Cox, chief executive of aviation consultancy Safety Operating Systems and a former 737 pilot, said the runway design was “absolutely” out of line with industry best practice, which excludes any rigid structure such as debris at least 300 meters from the end of the runway. :
The airport's concrete curb appears to be less than half that distance from the end of the pavement, according to a Reuters analysis of satellite images.
South Korean officials said the mound was about 250 meters from the end of the runway, although a paved apron ran past it.
In the video of the crash, the plane appeared to be decelerating and controlling its exit from the runway, Cox said.
“When it hits that berm, that's when it turns into a tragedy.”
NYE celebrations across the country have been cancelled
On Tuesday evening, the two floors of Muan Airport's main building were still packed with mourners as many waited for the altar to be opened to pay their respects.Others rested in hundreds of tents erected at the airport. Religious, welfare and volunteer groups were busy providing food and drink.
Relatives took turns bowing before a makeshift altar covered with chrysanthemums and pictures of the deceased, some sobbing loudly after paying their respects.
New Year's Eve celebrations have been canceled across the country as the nation grieves over the plane disaster.
Broadcasters KBS, MBS and SBS have canceled their annual awards shows or countdown festivals.The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that its annual call-in show scheduled for Tuesday will be quiet with no performances but a minute's silence.
