South Korean police are investigating Jeju Air and Moan International Airport as part of an investigation into the fatal crash of a Boeing 737-800 plane on Thursday. The operator’s offices were raided, killing 179 people.
The flight was carrying 181 people from Thailand to South Korea on Sunday when it issued a May Day call and went belly-up before hitting an obstacle, killing all but two flight attendants. .
Authorities conducted search and seizure operations at Moan Airport where Flight 2216 crashed, destroying a regional aviation office in the southwestern city and Jeju Air’s office in the capital, Seoul.
South Korean and American investigators, including Boeing, have been searching the crash site since the disaster to determine a cause, with both black boxes found and decoding underway.
“Search and seizure operations are underway at three locations since 9 a.m. (5:00 PST) on Jan. 2 in connection with the plane crash,” police said in a statement sent to AFP.
“Police intend to promptly and rigorously determine the cause and responsibility for this accident in accordance with the law and regulations.”
Police told AFP that a search warrant had been issued, and Yonhap reported that he had been charged with professional negligence resulting in death.
South Korea has also announced that it will inspect all Boeing 737-800 planes operated by its carrier, with a focus on the landing gear, which appears to have been damaged during Sunday’s crash. had gone
South Korea’s Acting President Choi Sang-mok said on Thursday that “immediate action” should be taken if the investigation reveals any problems with the plane’s model.
Officials had earlier said that 101 planes of the same model were being operated by six different airlines.
“Since there is a lot of public concern about the aircraft model involved in the accident, the Ministry of Transport and related agencies should conduct a thorough inspection of operation maintenance, education and training,” Choi said on Thursday.
“If any problem is found during inspection, please take immediate corrective action,” he added.
This accident is the worst air accident ever on South Korean soil.
South Korean officials have completed the initial release of data for the cockpit voice recorder, but the flight data recorder was damaged and had to be sent to the United States for analysis, officials said Wednesday.
‘I miss you’
Officials initially pointed to a bird strike as a possible cause of the disaster, and have since said the investigation is also looking into a concrete barrier at the end of the runway.
Dramatic video shows the plane colliding before bursting into flames. The country’s airports are also being inspected to “assess installation locations” around their runways, the land ministry said in a statement.
As the investigation continued, families traveled to the crash site for the first time Wednesday to pay their respects and some returned the next day with cardboard boxes to collect their loved ones’ belongings.
At the airport on Thursday, a monk led prayers near the crash site, while inside the airport, the stairs were covered with colorful notes after mourners left. “Honey, I miss you so much,” one of them said.
“Even if you faced lonely and painful moments of death, now you can fly like a butterfly,” wrote another.
Relatives also left flowers and food near the site where tteokguk – the rice cake soup traditionally enjoyed on New Year’s Day in South Korea – was said as they said goodbye, many in tears.
Local media reported on a handwritten note, apparently written by the pilot’s brother, which was placed with gimbap – a popular Korean dish – and a drink cup near the crash site.
“It breaks my heart when I think of the struggle you faced alone (in your final moments),” it read.
“You were truly amazing and did so well, so I hope you can now find happiness in a warm place. Thank you, and I Sorry.”
On Wednesday – a public holiday in the south – hundreds of people lined up to pay their respects at the airport’s memorial altar that was set up to honor the victims.
Local media reported that so many people flocked to the memorial that queues stretched for hundreds of meters and overloaded the local cell phone network. Other shrines for the victims have been set up across the country.