The recovery of remains of victims from the Dec. 29 Jeju Air crash, which had been underway around the runway at Muan Airport, has been temporarily halted due to soil contamination concerns and health checkups for search workers.
The families council for the Dec. 29 Muan Airport Jeju Air passenger plane disaster said on the 12th that the recovery of victims' remains underway at Muan International Airport would be temporarily suspended.
A key reason for the suspension is concern over soil contamination after heavy metals, including cadmium, were detected around the concrete mound (localizer), which had been a primary search point.
The heavy metals are presumed to have originated from jet fuel that leaked as the passenger plane collided with the concrete mound.
During the suspension, the families council, police, and others plan to collect samples from the contaminated area and discuss remediation measures.
They also plan to conduct health checkups for police officers and others who took part in the search.