South Korean police on Thursday conducted raids on the offices of Jeju Air and the operator of Muan International Airport as part of their investigation into the fatal crash of a Boeing 737-800 that killed 179 people.
The flight, which was carrying 181 passengers from Thailand to South Korea on Sunday, issued a mayday call before attempting a belly landing and crashing into a barrier, killing everyone aboard except for two flight attendants who were rescued from the burning wreckage.
Authorities executed search and seizure operations at Muan airport, where Flight 2216 crashed, as well as at a regional aviation office in the southwestern city and Jeju Air’s office in Seoul.
South Korean and U.S. investigators, including Boeing representatives, have been on-site since the disaster, working to determine the cause of the crash. Both black boxes have been recovered, and decoding is underway.
In a statement sent to AFP, police confirmed the search operation began at 9 a.m. (0000 GMT) on January 2 at three locations. “The police plan to swiftly and rigorously determine the cause and responsibility for this accident in accordance with the law and principles,” the statement said.
The search warrant was issued on charges of professional negligence resulting in death, according to Yonhap.
In addition, South Korea announced it will inspect all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by its airlines, with a focus on the landing gear, which appears to have malfunctioned during Sunday’s crash.
Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for “immediate action” if any issues with the aircraft model are uncovered during the investigation. South Korea currently operates 101 Boeing 737-800s across six airlines. “As there’s great public concern about the same aircraft model involved in the accident, the transport ministry and relevant agencies must conduct a thorough inspection of operation, maintenance, education, and training,” Choi said Thursday. “If any issues are found during the inspection, please take immediate corrective action.”
The crash is South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster to date.
Authorities have completed the initial extraction of data from the cockpit voice recorder, while the flight data recorder, which was damaged, will be sent to the United States for further analysis. Initially, officials suggested a bird strike might have contributed to the disaster, but the investigation is now also focusing on a concrete barrier at the end of the runway. Dramatic footage showed the plane colliding with the barrier before bursting into flames.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport also announced it would inspect airports nationwide to assess runway installations.
As the investigation continues, families of the victims traveled to the crash site on Wednesday to pay their respects, returning the following day with cardboard boxes to collect their loved ones’ belongings.
A monk led prayers near the crash site on Thursday, while inside the airport, mourners covered the stairs with colorful post-it notes. “Honey, I miss you way too much,” one note read. “Even if you faced lonely and painful moments in death, may you now soar like a butterfly,” another said.
Relatives left flowers and food, including tteokguk—rice cake soup traditionally eaten in South Korea on New Year’s Day—as they bid their tearful goodbyes.
Local media also reported a handwritten note, seemingly written by the pilot’s brother, placed alongside gimbap (a popular Korean dish) and a drink cup near the crash site. “I feel heartbroken when I think about the struggles you faced alone (in your last moments),” the note read. “You were truly amazing and did so well, so I hope you can now find happiness in a warm place. Thank you, and I’m sorry.”
On Wednesday, a public holiday in South Korea, hundreds of people lined up to pay their respects at a memorial altar at the airport. The queue stretched for hundreds of meters, and the local cell phone network was overwhelmed. Additional memorial altars have been set up nationwide to honor the victims.
