In brief
As investigators delve into the Jeju Air disaster that killed nearly all aboard, the focus is on the crucial four-minute interval between the pilot's distress call and the plane's fatal crash into a concrete structure at Muan International Airport.
On a fateful Sunday morning, a Jeju Air flight carrying 181 passengers tragically crashed shortly after a bird strike was reported. The incident began when the pilot was alerted about flocks of birds in the landing area while attempting to land at Muan International Airport. Just two minutes after this warning, the pilot reported an emergency due to the bird strike and decided to initiate a go-around. During this high-stress sequence of events, the veteran pilot, who had logged almost 7,000 hours of flight time, was forced to approach the runway from an unexpected direction. At 9:03 a.m., the plane, on its belly and without landing gear, crashed into a concrete structure just past the runway, erupting into flames. The incident has since become one of the worst aviation disasters in South Korean history, with only two survivors among the 181 on board. Many of the deceased were returning home to South Korea after celebrating Christmas in Thailand. As officials work tirelessly to understand the circumstances around this devastating event, critical questions emerge about the few minutes that led from distress signal to disaster. Analyses will focus on what transpired, aiming to shed light on the pivotal moments before the crash.
