A team of investigators from the US government and Boeing have arrived at the site of the Jeju Air crash at Muan International Airport (MWX) to participate in the investigation into the accident, Yonhap News, a South Korean news agency, reported.
Starting from December 31, 2024, US investigators will join South Korea’s Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) at the crash site of the accident.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), the US team includes one member from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), three experts from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and four representatives from Boeing.
The US investigators and Boeing representatives, along with 11 members of South Korea’s ARAIB, are currently searching the wreckage and debris at the crash site to find parts that could offer clues about the cause of the crash, the ministry said.
Following the on-site probe, the next step will be to analyze the recovered evidence and data extracted from the aircraft’s two black boxes.
One of the black boxes, the flight data recorder (FDR), was found with some exterior damage. The recorder was also found to be missing a connector that links its data storage unit to the power supply. The second black box, the cockpit voice recorder (CVR), is reportedly in a relatively better condition.
The investigation team will soon decide whether to attempt repairs and analysis of the damaged black box domestically or to send the device to the NTSB in the US for further examination.
The aircraft’s operator, Jeju Air, along with nations with victims have the right to participate in the investigation. However, Thailand, which had two nationals die in the accident, has decided not to participate.
The government of South Korea has suspended operations at Muan International Airport until January 7, 2025, with the decision to reopen to be made at a later date. Additionally, on December 30, 2024, the government ordered the inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by domestic airliners.
On December 29, 2024, a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed while attempting to make an emergency landing at Muan International Airport in South Korea. The aircraft overran a runway and burst into flames after hitting a wall. 179 of the 181 people on board were killed, making it the one of South Korea’s deadliest crashes.