Bird Strike Confirmed in Fatal Jeju Air Crash That Killed 179 in South Korea
Investigators have confirmed the presence of bird feathers and blood in both engines of the Jeju Air jet that crashed last month in South Korea, killing 179 people, according to a source familiar with the ongoing probe.
The Boeing 737-800 aircraft, en route from Bangkok to Muan County in southwestern South Korea, belly-landed, overshooting the runway before bursting into flames after colliding with an embankment. Only two crew members seated at the tail end of the plane survived, marking the crash as South Korea’s deadliest aviation disaster.
Emergency Declared Minutes Before Crash
Approximately four minutes prior to the crash, one of the pilots reported a bird strike and declared an emergency, attempting a go-around to land on the opposite end of the runway. Notably, air traffic control had warned the crew of increased "bird activity" in the area just two minutes before the emergency call.
South Korean investigators revealed this month that feathers were recovered from one of the engines at the crash site. Video evidence further corroborated that a bird strike occurred. However, the transport ministry has declined to confirm reports of feathers and blood being found in both engines.
Challenges in the Investigation
A significant hurdle in the investigation is the malfunctioning of the aircraft's black boxes, which stopped recording data approximately four minutes before the accident. Sim Jai-dong, a former transport ministry accident investigator, described the missing data as unusual, suggesting that all power, including backup, might have been cut—an exceptionally rare occurrence.
Bird Strikes: A Rare but Notable Threat
While bird strikes impacting both engines are uncommon, there have been cases of successful landings without fatalities, such as the "Miracle on the Hudson" in 2009 and a cornfield landing in Russia in 2019. However, the Jeju Air tragedy underscores the devastating potential of such incidents when circumstances are less favorable.
Investigators are continuing to piece together evidence to determine the full sequence of events that led to the crash.