Jeju Air plane crash: Data extracted from cockpit voice recorder

Specialists have successfully extracted data from the cockpit voice recorder of the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 that crashed on December 29 at Muan International Airport.

The recovered data is currently being converted into sound files, as confirmed by Joo Jong-wan, the director of the civil aviation department of South Korea's Ministry of Transport, Caliber.Az reports referring to foreign media.

Speaking at a briefing, Joo stated, "The extraction of data from the speech recorder of negotiations in the cockpit has been completed. The work to convert them into sound files began today," emphasizing that the process would be carried out as quickly as possible.

This tragic incident resulted in the deaths of 179 of the 181 people on board, making it the deadliest plane crash in the Republic of Korea. The flight, 7C2216, was travelling from Bangkok to Muan when it crash-landed, skidding off the runway, colliding with a wall, and bursting into flames. Two crew members survived the crash, but all the passengers, aged between 3 and 78, perished. Two of the victims were Thai nationals, and the remaining passengers were believed to be South Korean.

The second black box, the flight data recorder, sustained some external damage, which will likely delay its analysis. Experts anticipate that it will take about a month to decode the flight data recorder, as opposed to the usual one-week timeframe, had there been no damage. If decoding the data proves too challenging, the black boxes may be handed over to US authorities at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). A US delegation, including members from the NTSB and Boeing, has already arrived in Muan to collaborate with South Korean investigators.

As of Wednesday, acting president Choi Sang-mok announced that all 179 victims aboard flight 7C2216 had been identified, a process that took several days due to the extensive damage caused by the crash. Officials used DNA samples, fingerprint analysis, and saliva samples collected from the victims' families to assist in the identification process.

The crash has sparked a thorough investigation into its causes. Speculation about potential factors such as a bird strike or adverse weather conditions are being explored. Authorities have also noted that the Boeing 737-800 had passed a pre-flight inspection, which found "no issues" with the aircraft, according to Jeju Air CEO Kim Yi-bae. The airline is preparing emergency compensation for the victims' families and will cover funeral costs.

In the aftermath of the crash, many of the New Year's celebrations across South Korea have been cancelled or scaled back as a mark of respect for the victims. A seven-day period of national mourning has been declared by authorities. The tragic event has left the country in mourning, with many citizens expressing their grief and anxiety over the catastrophe.

The Jeju Air flight was an international route, and as such, the investigation into the cause of the crash will likely involve multiple agencies from different countries. For now, both South Korean and US investigators are working together to piece together the circumstances surrounding the devastating crash.

By Tamilla Hasanova