South Korean police said Thursday they raided Jeju Air and the operator of Muan International Airport as part of their investigation into Sunday's crash that killed 179 people in the country's deadliest plane crash on earth.
Jeju Air 7C2216, which left the Thai capital of Bangkok for Muan in southwestern South Korea, made a belly landing and overran the runway of the regional airport, bursting into flames. after hitting an embankment.
Two members of the crew, who were sitting at the tail end of the Boeing 737-800, were pulled alive by rescuers but were injured.
Police investigators are investigating the offices of the airport operator and the transportation ministry's aviation authority in the southwestern city of Muan, as well as Jeju Air's office in Seoul, South Jeolla regional police said in a media statement.
Investigators plan to seize documents and materials related to the operation and maintenance of the aircraft as well as the operation of airport facilities, a police official told Reuters.
A Jeju Air spokesperson said the airline is monitoring the situation. The airport's operating company was not immediately available for comment.
South Korea's acting president, Choi Sang-mok, ordered emergency safety inspections of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by the country's airlines after the Jeju Air crash near all passengers on board were killed.
Questions from aviation safety experts about what caused the deadly explosion have focused on the embankment designed to mount navigation equipment which they say is too rigid and too close to the end of the runway.
“This rigid structure was terrible when the glider hit,” said Najmedin Meshkati, an engineering professor at the University of Southern California, adding that it was a concern that the navigation antenna was mounted on “such a concrete structure strong, rather than standard metal tower/pylon installation.”
Unused landing gear
An investigation into the Jeju Air flight is also underway involving officials from South Korea and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the plane's maker, Boeing.
It remains unanswered why the plane failed to deploy its landing gear and what prompted the pilot to rush into a second landing attempt after telling air traffic control that the plane was declared a bird strike and emergency.
The flight data recorder of the plane, which sustained some damage, is being given to the United States for analysis in cooperation with the NTSB.
The conversion of data from the cockpit voice recorder to an audio file should be completed by Friday, said Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who could provide critical information about the final minutes of the flight.
A transport ministry official said on Wednesday that it may be difficult to release the audio files to the public as they would be crucial to the ongoing investigation.
Choi said at a disaster management meeting that measures must be taken immediately if a special inspection is found on all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operating in the country. Choi's comments at the start of the meeting were provided by his office.
Investigators from the NTSB, FAA and Boeing are in South Korea to assist in the investigation.
Choi said that no effort would be spared to help the families of the victims as the remains of those killed have been handed over. He also asked the police to take action against anyone posting “malicious” messages and fake news on social media related to the accident.
