The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Committee noted on the 30th that it would determine the site inspection schedule after conducting a risk management assessment of the accident aircraft with the French Bureau d'Enquêtes et d'Analyses (BEA).

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Aviation and Railroad Accident Investigation Committee (ARAIC) announces on the 30th that it will determine the on-site investigation schedule after conducting a risk management assessment of the accident aircraft with the French Bureau of Enquiry and Analysis for Civil Aviation Safety (BEA). ARAIC explains, “The aircraft contains approximately 35,900 pounds of fuel and passenger emergency oxygen containers, among other hazardous materials,” adding, “To prevent secondary accidents such as explosions, it is necessary to prioritize safety measures such as inspecting for damage to the fuselage cargo compartment, assessing the need to remove the aircraft's fuel, and separating the emergency oxygen containers.” The photo shows the AIR BUSAN accident aircraft. /Courtesy of Yonhap News Agency

The committee explained, “The aircraft is carrying approximately 35,900 pounds of fuel and hazardous materials such as emergency oxygen containers for passengers,” and added, “In order to prevent secondary accidents such as explosions, it is essential to first check for any damage to the fuselage cargo hold, the necessity of fuel removal, and the separation of emergency oxygen containers.”

It also stated that “On the morning of the 31st, after the committee and experts from BEA conduct a risk management assessment of the accident aircraft, the detailed schedule for joint fire investigations and other inquiries will be determined.”

The committee reiterated, “If fuel discharge is not required after safety measures, we plan to immediately conduct joint fire investigations with the relevant authorities and BEA,” adding, “If there are no unusual findings related to the cargo hold in the fire investigation, measures will be initiated to return checked luggage to the passengers.”

Earlier, the committee held a preliminary meeting with the Busan Metropolitan Police Agency, the Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters, and the National Forensic Service, discussing the direction of the accident investigation with BEA. The committee explained that BEA participated in this investigation in accordance with international regulations as the design and manufacturing country of the accident aircraft.