South Korean authorities have announced plans to inspect all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by the country’s airlines in the wake of a tragic crash at Muan International Airport that resulted in the deaths of 179 people. The inspection aims to determine the cause of the accident and enhance safety measures in the aviation sector.
The crash occurred on Sunday, prompting an urgent response from the government. Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who is also the country’s deputy prime minister and finance minister, convened a task force meeting on Monday to oversee an emergency review of South Korea’s aviation safety systems.
Choi emphasized that the government would take responsible actions to renovate aviation safety systems nationwide to prevent future tragedies. “The essence of a responsible response would be renovating the aviation safety systems on the whole to prevent recurrences of similar incidents and building a safer Republic of South Korea,” he stated.
The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport has announced that a comprehensive safety audit will be conducted on all 101 Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by South Korean airlines. This audit will focus on identifying potential risks and ensuring that all aircraft meet the necessary safety standards.
Jeju Air, the airline operating the crashed plane, owns 39 Boeing 737-800 aircraft. The transport ministry’s review will include the airline’s safety protocols and procedures. Additionally, representatives from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing will join the investigation to assist in uncovering the cause of the crash.
The investigation will also explore the conditions at Muan International Airport, particularly focusing on the localizer system. This system uses antennas to guide aircraft during landings.
Authorities are considering whether the concrete structure housing these antennas should be replaced with lighter materials that could break upon impact, similar to structures used at other airports in South Korea, including Jeju Island, Yeosu, and Pohang.
In addition, officials are examining potential communication failures between the pilot and air traffic controllers during the flight’s final approach. It is suspected that a breakdown in communication may have occurred during the “go-around” procedure, leading to the crash.
“Our current understanding is that, at some point during the go-around process, communication became somewhat ineffective or was interrupted ahead of the landing and impact,” said a ministry official.
Flight data and cockpit voice recorders from the ill-fated flight have been sent to a research center at Gimpo Airport for further analysis. The data from these black boxes will be crucial in understanding the events leading up to the crash.
The investigation comes amid ongoing political turmoil in South Korea. The country’s former president, Yoon, was impeached after imposing martial law, sparking concerns among the public about the government’s ability to manage the crisis effectively.
The resignation of the safety minister and the arrest of the police chief for their involvement in the martial law controversy have only intensified these fears. The absence of key officials responsible for disaster management has raised doubts about the government’s preparedness in handling such a catastrophic event.
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