Experts from the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Boeing will arrive at Incheon Airport this evening to investigate the cause of the Jeju Air passenger plane accident at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport noted that with their arrival, the joint investigation is set to officially begin.
At a briefing held at the Sejong Government Complex on the 30th, the Ministry of Land announced that two experts from the NTSB and two representatives from Boeing will enter the country this evening to join the accident investigation. It was reported that CFMI, the aircraft engine manufacturer involved in the discussions about participating in the investigation, has not yet clearly expressed its intention to participate.
This investigation will focus on the recovery and analysis of the black box data to expedite the identification of the accident's cause. The recovered black box currently consists of a flight data recorder (FDR) and a cockpit voice recorder (CVR). The Ministry of Land explained that while the CVR can be analyzed after removing contaminants such as mud, the FDR, with some damage to its components, will be sent to the NTSB for analysis.
A representative from the Ministry of Land stated, "The joint investigation will commence tonight, with preliminary assessments focusing on the extent of damage to the black box and the feasibility of data extraction."
The Ministry of Land plans to thoroughly investigate communications with the accident aircraft, controller interviews, and the collection of control records, examining the overall control operations. Ju Jong-wan, Director of the Ministry's Aviation Policy Bureau, said, "The accident investigation committee is visiting the Muan Airport control tower to gather communication data and conduct controller interviews," adding, "the recovery and analysis of the black box is essential for a clear determination of the cause of the accident."
The Ministry of Land also disclosed the tense communication before the accident. The plane's pilot reported a "mayday, mayday, mayday" call to the Muan Airport control tower at 8:59 a.m. on the 29th, indicating a bird strike situation. The pilot further announced intentions to "go around" due to the bird strike, meaning to abort landing and gain altitude.
The control tower had issued a bird activity warning two minutes earlier, at 8:57 a.m., and although the pilot attempted to execute the go-around immediately after the warning, the accident occurred around 9:03 a.m. when the aircraft landed with its landing gear not extended, according to the Ministry of Land. It was confirmed the plane attempted to approach runway 19 after changing its course.
A representative from the Ministry of Land emphasized, "The accident investigation committee will work closely with international experts to conduct a swift and precise investigation," and added, "We will prepare measures to prevent similar accidents based on the investigation results."
Meanwhile, as of 2:30 p.m., the Ministry of Land announced that the identities of 146 victims of the Jeju Air passenger plane accident have been confirmed. Identification procedures for the remaining 33 individuals are ongoing through DNA analysis and fingerprinting. Identified victims will be transported to funeral homes in consultation with their families.