Written by Hyunjoo Jin and Jihoon Lee
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korean police said on Thursday they had raided Jeju Air and the operator of Muan International Airport as part of their investigation into Sunday's plane crash that killed 179 people in the country's worst aviation disaster.
Jeju Air Flight 7C2216, which left the Thai capital Bangkok for Muan in southwestern South Korea, landed in the belly of the plane, overshot the runway at the regional airport, and exploded and burst into flames after colliding with a bridge.
Two crew members, who were sitting at the back of the Boeing (NYSE:) 737-800, were recovered alive by rescuers but injured.
South Jeolla Provincial Police said in a media statement that police investigators are searching the offices of the airport operating company and the Aviation Authority of the Ministry of Transport in the southwestern city of Muan, in addition to the Jeju Airlines office in Seoul.
A police official told Reuters that investigators intend to confiscate documents and materials related to the operation and maintenance of the plane as well as the operation of airport facilities.
A Jeju Air spokesman said the airline was checking the situation. It was not possible to obtain an immediate comment from the company operating the airport.
Questions from air safety experts about what led to the deadly explosion focused on the embankment designed to support navigation equipment, which they said was too solid and too close to the end of the runway.
“This rigid structure proved disastrous when the plane hit the glider,” said Najmuddin Mishkati, an engineering professor at the University of Southern California, adding that it was troubling that the navigation antenna was mounted on “such an enormous concrete structure, rather than a standard one.” Metal tower/pylon installation.”
An investigation into the Jeju Air flight is also underway involving South Korean officials, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the plane's manufacturer, Boeing.
There has not yet been an answer as to why the plane did not use its landing gear, and what prompted the pilot to apparently rush to make a second attempt to land after informing air traffic control that the plane had been struck by birds and declaring a state of emergency.
The plane's flight data recorder, which sustained some damage, is being transported to the United States for analysis in cooperation with the NTSB.
Acting President Choi Sang-mook said the conversion of data from the cockpit voice recorder into an audio file should be completed by Friday, which could provide important information about the final minutes of the ill-fated flight.
A Department of Transportation official said Wednesday that it may be difficult to release the audio files to the public because they will be crucial to the ongoing investigation.
Immediate action should be taken if a special inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating in the country finds any problems, Choi said at a disaster management meeting.
“Since there is great public concern about the same aircraft model involved in the accident, the Ministry of Transport and related organizations should conduct a comprehensive operation maintenance inspection, education and training,” Choi said.
His office presented Choi's comments at the beginning of the meeting.
Investigators from the NTSB, FAA and Boeing are in South Korea to assist in the investigation.
Choi demanded that no effort be spared to help the families of the victims while handing over the remains of the dead to them. He also asked the police to take action against anyone spreading “malicious” messages and fake news on social media related to the disaster.
