A devastating aviation disaster at South Korea's Muan International Airport has exposed critical safety oversights in airport infrastructure design.
According to The US Sun, airport officials were aware that a concrete wall, which the ill-fated Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed into, was positioned too close to the runway, as documented in the airport's operating manual earlier this year.
The horrific crash occurred on Sunday when the aircraft, carrying 181 passengers and crew, experienced a bird strike during its approach to landing. After failing to deploy its landing gear, the plane belly-landed on the runway before careening into a sand and concrete embankment, resulting in a catastrophic explosion that claimed 179 lives.
The airport's operating manual had explicitly recommended reviewing the embankment's location during a planned expansion project. Aviation expert Captain Ross Aimer, chief executive of Aero Consulting Experts, provided crucial insight into the deadly incident.
South Korean transport ministry officials have yet to provide detailed responses regarding the manual's warnings. They stated that a thorough examination of the document would be necessary before addressing questions about the infrastructure concerns.
The incident has sparked intense scrutiny of airport safety protocols and infrastructure decisions. Investigators are working to determine why the pilot attempted to land after declaring an emergency, particularly given the known risks in the area.
The crash's only survivors were two cabin crew members, aged 33 and 25, who were seated at the rear of the aircraft. Their survival can be attributed to their location near the tail section, which remained partially intact after the impact.
The extensive damage to the aircraft has complicated victim identification efforts. Fire chief Lee Jung-hyun reported that the destruction was so severe that only the tail section maintained any recognizable form.
These circumstances have created significant challenges for authorities managing the aftermath. The process has been further complicated by the recovery of approximately 600 different body parts from the wreckage.
The handling of victims' remains has become a source of additional distress for bereaved families. Serious allegations have emerged regarding the treatment of recovered bodies at the airport facility.
The head of the bereaved family council has accused authorities of failing to properly manage victims' remains. Specifically, the delayed installation of promised freezer units has resulted in bodies being left on the hangar floor.
Dozens of grieving families have maintained a vigil at the airport since the crash, waiting for news about their loved ones. The situation has intensified criticism of the government's response to this unprecedented aviation disaster.
The Muan International Airport crash stands as one of South Korea's worst aviation disasters, with 179 fatalities from the 181 people aboard the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800. The incident occurred when the aircraft struck birds near known feeding and roosting areas, leading to a catastrophic impact with a concrete wall that airport officials had previously identified as problematically close to the runway.
