There is still much uncertainty about the cause of the plane crash in South Korea, which today claimed the lives of at least 177 of the 181 passengers. Aviation expert Joris Melkert described the accident images as “very striking.” The aircraft, without its landing gear, skidded at high speed along the runway, crashing into a large earthen wall before a barrier at the end of the airport.
Melkert questioned the presence of the wall, noting that airports usually have flat runoff areas. The Jeju Air flight 7C2216, coming from Bangkok, disappeared from radar minutes before landing.
According to South Korean authorities, the pilot had been instructed to land in the opposite direction to avoid bird strikes. After this, the pilots sent a distress signal for unknown reasons.
During the attempted landing, the landing gear was not deployed, which Melkert found perplexing, as various emergency procedures could have been initiated. Jeju Air CEO Kim E-Bae stated at a press conference that there were no prior indications of problems with the aircraft, built in 2009, and that the airline had a good safety record.
The black box has been recovered and is being analyzed to provide answers. This crash is among the deadliest aviation accidents in South Korea in recent decades.
In 1997, another crash in the country resulted in 228 fatalities.
Source: NOS