South Korea’s acting leader, Choi Sang-mok, has ordered an emergency safety inspection of the country’s entire airline operations following the tragic crash of a Jeju Air flight that killed 179 people, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in the country’s history.
The crash occurred at Muan International Airport, where the plane burst into flames after a crash-landing. All passengers on board, except for two survivors, perished in the disaster. The 179 victims, aged between three and 78, were mostly in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, with two Thai nationals among the dead.
Acting President Choi has requested that investigators disclose their findings promptly to the grieving families of the victims. This request follows an incident earlier on Monday, when another Jeju Air flight had to turn back to Seoul after taking off, due to a landing gear issue, which raised further concerns about the airline’s safety.
The flight that returned to Gimpo International Airport was a Boeing B737-800, the same model involved in Sunday’s crash. The aircraft’s landing gear, which supports the plane during takeoff, taxiing, and landing, experienced a malfunction.
Following the crash, Boeing expressed its readiness to assist Jeju Air in its investigation, while the airline’s management publicly apologized for the incident. The airline operates a fleet where 39 out of 41 aircraft are of the same Boeing B737-800 model.
The crash occurred after the plane, which had initially been warned about a bird strike, was cleared to land from the opposite direction. It skidded off the runway and crashed into a wall. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the cause of the crash, with air traffic control and the airline under scrutiny.
“We deeply apologise to all those affected by the incident. We will make every effort to resolve the situation,” the firm said in a statement.
Jeju Air shares were trading around 8% lower in Seoul on Monday.
The accident is a national tragedy for South Korea, which has been embroiled in political turmoil after parliament voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol and his temporary successor Han Duck-soo.
Acting President Choi, who stepped into the interim role only on Friday, said he is “heartbroken” by the accident.
“To the honorable citizens of our nation, as an acting president, my heart aches as we face this unforeseen tragedy amid recent economic hardships,” he said.
