Mystery of deadly crash: US experts join South Korea probe
South Korea is sending the Boeing 737-800 black boxes to the USA. The top specialists will investigate the cause of the crash in Muan, where 179 of the 181 people on board were killed.
The Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation, Joo Jong-wan, announced cooperation with American investigators to probe the cause of Friday's tragedy. Following mysterious explosions on the right side of the aircraft's fuselage, the Boeing 737-800 pilot attempted to land.
Consequently, the plane landed on the airport's surface without extending its landing gear and collided with a wall surrounding the port. The wall shattered almost completely, leaving only the aircraft's tail intact.
Causes of the South Korean plane crash: Experts from the USA to assist in investigation
179 passengers and crew members died, while two crew members miraculously survived. At the moment of impact, they were in the rear part of the plane.
The Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation, Joo Jong-wan, announced that the accident analysis will be conducted in cooperation with American investigators. The black box has been sent from South Korea to the United States.
Lee Jung-hyun, the head of the Muan Fire Department, pointed out potential causes of the tragedy. Possible reasons include a bird strike and weather conditions.
The South Korean Ministry of Transport confirmed that the control tower warned the pilots of the Jeju Airplane about a potential hazard due to flocks of birds appearing near the airport.
Footage of the crash broadcast by YTN television showed the aircraft gliding at high speed down the runway, apparently with its landing gear retracted, and colliding head-on with a concrete wall at the end of the runway. The 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 was flying from Bangkok.
