Jeju Air crash: Bird feathers found in engines, investigation ongoing

Bird feathers were discovered in the engines of a Jeju Air plane that crashed in South Korea, potentially confirming the theory that a bird strike contributed to the tragedy.

Fragments and entire feathers were found in both under-wing engines of the aircraft, leading investigators to give significant weight to the bird collision hypothesis, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

The investigative committee has sought assistance from the Biological Institute, which analyzed 17 samples, including feathers and bloodstains, to identify the species involved.

The crash occurred on December 29 when a Jeju Air Boeing 737, flying from Bangkok, overshot the runway at South Korea's Muang International Airport. The plane collided with a concrete barrier and exploded, resulting in the near-total destruction of the aircraft. Initial findings suggest that a failure in the landing gear system, potentially caused by the bird strike, contributed to the accident. According to airport officials, the aircraft landed on its fuselage without fully slowing down, likely due to the landing gear malfunction.

The plane carried 181 people, including 175 passengers (173 South Koreans and two Thai nationals) and six crew members. Tragically, 179 individuals lost their lives, while two crew members survived. The bodies of the deceased have been recovered.

Both black boxes were recovered, but their recording stopped four minutes before the crash. Investigators are working to retrieve data to better understand the sequence of events leading up to the accident.

Following the crash, South Korean authorities launched a thorough investigation, including searches at Jeju Air. They also declared a seven-day national mourning period to honour the victims.

Authorities in South Korea have stated that the crash could have been caused by a combination of factors, including the bird strike and the inadequate length of the runway for an emergency landing. This dual theory is under review as investigators continue to analyze the evidence.

By Tamilla Hasanova