Seoul: Investigators have found evidence of a bird strike in the Jeju Air passenger plane crash in South Korea in December, which resulted in 179 deaths.
Feathers and blood stains found on both engines of the Boeing 737-800 were identified as coming from a type of migratory duck, according to a preliminary investigation report released Monday.
The investigation will now focus on the role of the bird strike and the impact of the concrete structure at the end of the runway, where the plane crashed.
The aircraft’s engines will be disassembled for further analysis, and the concrete structure will undergo additional inspection.
The Jeju Air flight left Bangkok for Muan International Airport on December 29. At 08:57 local time, two minutes after contacting the airport, the control tower advised the crew of “bird activity”. The pilot reported a bird strike at 08:59 and issued a mayday signal.
The aircraft then requested permission to land in the opposite direction. During the attempt, it belly-landed without its landing gear and overran the runway, crashing into a concrete structure and exploding.
The flight data and cockpit voice recorders stopped recording four minutes before the crash. Experts have questioned the presence of concrete barriers, known to navigation systems as localizers, suggesting that their absence may have reduced the severity of the crash.
South Korea’s transport ministry has announced it will replace concrete barriers at seven airports and modify runway safety areas following a review.
A preliminary report has been submitted to the United Nations Aviation Agency as well as authorities in the United States, France and Thailand.
