South Korea: Bird DNA found in engines of crashed Jeju jet
January 27, 2025
Bird feathers and bloodstains were discovered in both engines of the Jeju Air plane that crashed in South Korea, the first report on the aviation disaster confirmed on Monday.
The Boeing 737-800 was flying from Thailand to Muan in South Korea on December 29 when the plane crash-landed and slammed into a concrete barrier. The flight exploded into a fireball, killing all but two of the 181 crew and passengers on board.
It was the deadliest plane accident in South Korea.
What did the report say?
"The samples were sent to specialized organizations for DNA analysis, and a domestic organization identified them as belonging to Baikal Teals," the report said, referring to a migratory duck that flies to Korea from its breeding grounds in Siberia during the winter season.
"The pilots identified a group of birds while approaching runway 01, and a security camera filmed HL8088 coming close to a group of birds during a go-around," the report said about the day of the incident, referring to the Jeju jet's registration number.
It did not mention if the engines had stopped working at the moment leading up to the crash.
Data from the recorder shows that the air traffic control tower warned the pilots against potential bird strikes after giving it clearance to land. A minute later, both voice and data recording systems on board failed.
Within seconds, the pilots declared mayday due to a bird strike and attempted a belly landing when the landing gear did not deploy.
Officials have yet to officially determine the cause of the crash.
What's next?
Investigators will next take apart the engines and closely examine the parts. They will also analyze in-flight data and air traffic control recordings. Additionally, they will look into the embankment, localizers, and any signs of a bird strike.
"These all-out investigation activities aim to determine the accurate cause of the accident," it said.
Some experts have said that the Muan airport's localizer — a set of antennas on a concrete structure that guides planes during landings — made the crash worse.
South Korea earlier announced that it will remove concrete structures in airports nationwide and replace them with "breakable structures".
mk/rmt (AFP, AP, Reuters)