South Korea considers special inspection of Boeing 737-800 fleet following fatal crash

South Korea is reviewing plans to conduct a "special inspection" of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft currently in operation across the country, following a deadly crash involving a Jeju Air flight that killed 179 people.

 "101 B737-800 series aircraft are currently in operation in South Korea. Consequently, we are reviewing plans to conduct a special inspection on B737-800 aircraft," stated Joo Jong-wan, head of the aviation policy bureau at the South Korean transport ministry, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The review comes after a fatal crash on December 29, when a Jeju Air jet, which had been attempting to land at Muan International Airport, belly-landed and slid off the runway, erupting into a fireball after crashing into a wall. Two crew members survived the crash, but the tragedy claimed the lives of 179 people, most of whom were local residents returning from holidays in Thailand. Two Thai nationals were also among the deceased.

Earlier on December 30, a Jeju Air flight, which had departed Gimpo Airport in Seoul for Jeju, experienced an unidentified landing gear issue after takeoff and returned safely to Gimpo.

In response to the crash, South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered an emergency safety inspection of the nation’s entire aviation system. Investigators are working to identify the victims and determine the cause of the crash, which remains the country’s deadliest air disaster to date.

"The top priority for now is identifying the victims, supporting their families, and treating the two survivors," President Choi said during a disaster management meeting in Seoul. He also urged officials to transparently disclose the progress of the investigation and inform the bereaved families promptly.

"Even before the final results are out, we ask that officials transparently disclose the accident investigation process and promptly inform the bereaved families," he added.

Choi further emphasized that, following the completion of the accident recovery efforts, the Transport Ministry should carry out an emergency safety inspection of the entire aircraft operation system to prevent future incidents.

Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which had arrived from Bangkok with 175 passengers and six crew members aboard, was attempting to land at Muan International Airport shortly after 9 a.m. local time (0000 GMT) on Sunday when the crash occurred.

Investigators are considering factors such as bird strikes and weather conditions as possible contributors to the incident. However, experts have raised numerous questions, including why the twin-engine Boeing 737-800 was traveling at such a high speed and why its landing gear appeared to be up as it skidded down the runway before crashing into a wall.

By Vafa Guliyeva