With heat wave advisories in effect for most of the country, the follow-up search to find the unrecovered remains of victims at the site of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster at Muan International Airport has been paused for a time.
The Dec. 29 Muan Airport Jeju Air passenger plane disaster bereaved families' association said on the 30th it will temporarily suspend the follow-up search. The suspension will run from Aug. 3 to 7. The association said it is "to consider the safety of search personnel amid the heat wave," adding, "We plan to resume the search starting Aug. 10."
At the disaster site around Muan International Airport, police, the military, and fire authorities are continuing the follow-up search. Through the previous day, they had found 1,605 items presumed to be remains and 840 personal effects. They also secured about 1,209 kilograms of aircraft wreckage.
The follow-up search covers a total area of 19,781 square meters. It has been divided into 819 grids for operations, and 611 grids have been completed. Progress stands at 74.6%.
At about 9:03 a.m. on Dec. 29, 2024, Jeju Air Flight 7C2216, which departed Bangkok, Thailand, attempted a fuselage landing at Muan International Airport and struck a localizer (azimuth facility) built on a concrete berm. The passenger plane exploded, killing 179 of the 181 people on board.