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South Korea Orders Airline Safety Review After Jeju Air Crash Kills 179
South Korea orders emergency safety review after Jeju Air crash kills 179.
Acting President Choi expresses sorrow and calls for prompt investigation.
Another Jeju Air flight returns to Seoul due to landing-gear issue on Monday.
South Korea’s acting leader has ordered an emergency safety review of the country’s entire airline industry following the deadly crash of a Jeju Air plane that killed 179 people, marking the deadliest aviation disaster in the nation’s history.
The Jeju Air flight crashed and burst into flames during a landing at Muan International Airport, killing all but two passengers. Acting President Choi Sang-mok has requested that investigators quickly share their findings with the victims’ families.
Choi’s directive follows another incident involving a Jeju Air flight on Monday, when a Boeing 737-800, the same model involved in the fatal crash, was forced to return to Seoul shortly after takeoff due to a landing-gear issue.
The plane had departed from Gimpo International Airport at 06:35 local time (21:35 GMT Sunday) and returned less than an hour later after detecting a mechanical problem. Jeju Air operates 39 of the 41 Boeing B737-800s in its fleet.
Following the tragedy, Boeing stated that it was in contact with Jeju Air and offered support. The 179 passengers on flight 7C2216, aged between three and 78, included two Thai nationals, while most of the victims were South Korean.
The crash occurred after the plane skidded off the runway and collided with a wall following an attempted landing. Air traffic control had earlier warned of a potential bird strike, but the plane was cleared to land from the opposite direction.
Jeju Air executives issued a public apology, expressing deep regret for the loss. On Monday, Jeju Air shares fell by about 8% in Seoul.
The disaster has shocked South Korea, already grappling with political instability after the impeachment of President Yoon Suk Yeol and his temporary successor Han Duck-soo. Acting President Choi, who assumed the interim role on Friday, expressed his deep sorrow, stating, “My heart aches as we face this unforeseen tragedy amid recent economic hardships.”
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