South Korea orders air safety probe after worst crash in country kills 179
South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok on Monday ordered an emergency safety inspection of the country’s entire airline operation system as investigators worked to identify victims and find out what caused the deadliest air disaster in the country.
All 175 passengers and four of the six crew were killed when a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 belly-landed and skidded off the end of the runway at Muan International Airport, erupting in a fireball as it slammed into a wall. Two crew members were pulled out alive.
The top priority for now is identifying the victims, supporting their families and treating the two survivors, Choi told a disaster management meeting in Seoul.
“Even before the final results are out, we ask that officials transparently disclose the accident investigation process and promptly inform the bereaved families,” he said.
“As soon as the accident recovery is conducted, the transport ministry is requested to conduct an emergency safety inspection of the entire aircraft operation system to prevent recurrence of aircraft accidents,” he said.
As a first step, the transport ministry announced plans to conduct a special inspection of all 101 Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by South Korean airliners beginning on Monday, focusing on the maintenance record of key components.
Jeju Air flight 7C2216, arriving from the Thai capital Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew on board, was trying to land shortly after 9 a.m. local time on Sunday at the airport in the south of the country.
Investigators are examining bird strikes and weather conditions as possible factors in the crash, fire officials have said. Experts say many questions remain, including why the plane, powered by two CFM 56-7B26 engines, appeared to be travelling so fast and why its landing gear did not appear to be down when it skidded down the runway and into a wall.
CFM International is a joint venture between GE Aerospace and France’s Safran.
On Monday, transport ministry officials said as the pilots made a scheduled approach they told air traffic control the aircraft had suffered a bird strike, shortly after the control tower gave them a warning birds were spotted in the vicinity.
Authorities are investigating the cause of a plane crash at Muan airport in South Korea, after it skidded along the runway and burst into flames, killing at least 179 people on board.
The pilots then issued a mayday warning and signalled their intention to abandon the landing and to go around and try again. Shortly afterwards, the aircraft came down on the runway in a belly landing, touching down about 1,200 metres along the 2,800 metres runway and sliding into the embankment at the end of the runway.
Officials are investigating what role the localizer antenna, located at the end of the runway to help in landing, played in the crash, including the concrete embankment on which it was standing, transport ministry officials told a media briefing.
“Normally, on an airport with a runway at the end, you don’t have a wall,” said Christian Beckert, a flight safety expert and Lufthansa pilot based in Munich. “You more have maybe an engineered material arresting system, which lets the airplane sink into the ground a little bit and brakes (it).”
The crash killed mostly local residents who were returning from holidays in Thailand, while two Thai nationals also died.
On Monday morning, investigators were trying to identify some of the last remaining victims, as anguished families waited inside the Muan airport terminal.
Park Han-shin, who lost his brother in the crash, said he was told by authorities that his brother had been identified but has not been able to see his body.
Park called on other victims’ families to unite in responding to the disaster and recovery efforts, citing a 2014 ferry sinking that killed more than 300 people. Prolonged efforts to identify the victims and cause of the sinking followed that disaster.
Flight data recorder recovered
Emergency workers were sifting through wreckage that was nearly completely destroyed when the aircraft was engulfed in an explosion of flames and debris at the regional airport near the country’s winding western coastline.
Transportation ministry officials said the jet’s flight data recorder was recovered but appeared to have sustained some damage on the outside and it was not yet clear whether the data was sufficiently intact to be analyzed.
Shares of Jeju Air hit their lowest level on record on Monday, trading as much as 15.7 per cent lower.
Under global aviation rules, South Korea will lead a civil investigation into the crash and automatically involve the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in the United States where the plane was designed and built.
The NTSB said it was leading a team of U.S. investigators to help South Korea’s aviation authority. Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration were also taking part.
Choi, who was overseeing recovery efforts and the investigation, became acting leader just three days ago after the country’s president and prime minister were impeached over the imposition of a short-lived martial law.
Published at Sun, 29 Dec 2024 18:26:16 +0000
Jimmy Carter was ‘man of principle, faith, and humility,’ says U.S. President Joe Biden
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter was lauded Sunday as a humanitarian and a champion of justice by his successors, supporters and admirers around the world following news of his death.
“Our founder, former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, passed away this afternoon in Plains, Georgia,” The Carter Center said in a statement announcing his death on the social media platform X. It added that he died peacefully, surrounded by his family.
Condolences soon started to pour in following the announcement.
U.S. President Joe Biden and wife Jill
“Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well.
“With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us. He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe.
“And to all of the young people in this nation and for anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning – the good life – study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility. He showed that we are great nation because we are a good people – decent and honourable, courageous and compassionate, humble and strong.”
Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn spoke in a video about why Biden must be the next president.
U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris
“I had the privilege of knowing President Carter for years. I will always remember his kindness, wisdom, and profound grace. His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come. Our world is a better place because of President Carter.”
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump
“Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History.
“The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Ex-U.S. president Barack Obama and wife Michelle
“Jimmy Carter believed, as deeply as he believed anything, that we are all created in God’s image. Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values. He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service.”
Ex-U.S. president Bill Clinton
“Hillary and I mourn the passing of President Jimmy Carter and give thanks for his long, good life. Guided by his faith, President Carter lived to serve others – until the very end … Hillary and I met President Carter in 1975 and were proud, early supporters of his Presidential campaign. I will always be proud to have presented the Medal of Freedom to him and Rosalynn in 1999, and to have worked with him in the years after he left the White House. Our prayers are with Jack, Chip, Jeff, Amy, and their families.”
Ex-U.S. president George W. Bush
“James Earl Carter, Jr., was a man of deeply held convictions. He was loyal to his family, his community, and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency. His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations.”
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
“Jimmy Carter’s legacy is one of compassion, kindness, empathy, and hard work. He served others both at home and around the world his entire life — and he loved doing it. He was always thoughtful and generous with his advice to me.
“My deepest condolences to the Carter family, his many loved ones, and the American people who are mourning a former President and a lifelong humanitarian. May his selfless service continue to inspire us all for years to come.”
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh
“President Jimmy Carter was a Nobel Peace Prize winner, peacemaker, lifelong humanitarian and a tireless worker for Habitat for Humanity. He earned respect and admiration around the Globe for being a man whose actions matched his values. Our thoughts and condolences are with his family, his loved ones and all Americans.”
Chip Carter, his son
“My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love … My brothers, sister, and I shared him with the rest of the world through these common beliefs. The world is our family because of the way he brought people together, and we thank you for honoring his memory by continuing to live these shared beliefs.”
French President Emmanuel Macron
“Throughout his life, Jimmy Carter defended the rights of the most vulnerable people and tirelessly led the fight for peace. France sends its heartfelt thoughts to his family and to the American people.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer
“Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad … [he] lived his values in the service of others to the very end.”
King Charles
“It was with great sadness that I learned of the death of former President Carter. He was a committed public servant, and devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights. His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977.”
Published at Sun, 29 Dec 2024 21:32:32 +0000
