South Korea orders aviation security probe after lethal aircraft crash

South Korea’s interim chief ordered an emergency security inspection of the nation’s complete flight operations, a day after 179 folks had been killed in its deadliest aircraft crash .

The Jeju Air aircraft caught fireplace because it crashed at South Korea’s Muan Worldwide Airport, killing all however two folks on board.

Performing President Choi Sang-mok requested investigators to rapidly launch their findings to the bereaved households.

His request additionally comes as one other Jeju Air flight returned to Seoul shortly after takeoff on Monday, because of an unidentified touchdown gear downside.

On Monday, the Jeju Air aircraft took off from Gimpo Worldwide Airport at 6:35 a.m. native time (9:35 p.m. GMT Sunday) and returned lower than an hour later after discovering a mechanical fault brought on by a touchdown gear downside, South Korea’s Yonhap information company reported. reported.

Touchdown gear refers back to the set of wheels and different components of the plane that help the plane throughout takeoff, taxiing, and touchdown.

The aircraft that turned again was a Boeing B737-800, the identical mannequin because the one concerned in Sunday’s catastrophe.

Thirty-nine of the 41 plane in Jeju Air’s fleet are of this mannequin.

After Sunday’s lethal crash, Boeing mentioned it was in touch with Jeju Air and was “able to help them.”

The 179 passengers on Flight 7C2216 ranged in age from three to 78, though most had been between 40, 50 and 60, in accordance with Yonhap information company. Two Thai nationals had been among the many lifeless and the others had been believed to be South Koreans, authorities mentioned.

On Sunday, the ill-fated aircraft skidded off the runway after touchdown and crashed right into a wall shortly after 09:00 native time (00:00 GMT).

A South Korean transport official mentioned the aircraft tried to land however was pressured to attend after air site visitors management issued a chook strike warning – an alert in regards to the threat of colliding with birds.

Air site visitors command then cleared the aircraft to land in the wrong way, the official mentioned.

Airline bosses made a deep bow as they publicly apologized at a press convention on Sunday.

“We deeply apologize to everybody affected by the incident. We are going to do all the pieces doable to resolve the state of affairs,” the corporate mentioned in an announcement.

Shares of Jeju Air had been buying and selling down about 8% in Seoul on Monday.

The accident is a nationwide tragedy for South Korea, which was plunged into political turmoil after Parliament voted to question President Yoon Suk Yeol and his non permanent successor Han Duck-soo.

Performing President Choi, who took workplace solely on Friday, mentioned he was “heartbroken” by the accident.

“To the honorable residents of our nation, as Performing President, my coronary heart aches as we face this unexpected tragedy within the midst of latest financial hardship,” he mentioned.