On December 29, 2024, a tragic plane accident occurred in South Korea, killing 179 people. The Jeju Airplane crash is one of the worst airplane crashes that have occurred till now on South Korean soil. The authorities initially attributed the crash to a bird strike, citing potential ingestion of birds into the engines. The aviation industry, stakeholders, and families of the deceased want a more transparent investigation.
Source- Phillipine star
Immediate Events
The crash happened after the plane suddenly lost its altitude while preparing to land and slammed into a densely populated area. Eyewitnesses reported that they heard a loud explosion and smoke coming out of the plane. The crash at a densely populated area not only damaged the plane but also the buildings. Rescue teams arrived immediately to save the lives of the passengers and the crew members. However, it could only save two people as the scale of damage was very severe.
Official Reason
The official reason given for the crash is bird strike. A bird strike occurs when the bird collides with the plane during takeoff or landing. This bird-striking incident is not very rare, and the modern aircraft are prepared to endure such impacts. The absence of birds remains on the engine, questioning the official reason given. The bird strike alone cannot cause such a catastrophic incident, calling skepticism and demands for a transparent investigation.
Alternative theories
Alternative theories suggest that the crash could be because of the failure of the engine, pilot error, or external factors.
1) Mechanical failure—the engine could have been damaged because of the reckless maintenance of its parts or due to fractures or aging components.
2) Pilot error—less likely, it could have occurred because of the delayed response of the pilot in case of emergency, which could have exacerbated the situation.
3) External factors: External factors include weather interference or intentional harm that could have sabotaged the situation. Investigation is underway by the South Korean Aviation Safety Board focusing on—
• Black box analysis so that they can know the exact reason for the crash. The black box records flight data and voice recordings of the cockpit.
• Maintenance records and air traffic communication.
• Eyewitness accounts and on-site evidence
The black box has been retrieved from the incident site and has been sent to covert the data into audio format. The global response
The incident shook the entire world to its core. The incident sparked an outpouring of grief and demands for an investigation to build the trust of individuals back in the air travel.
