Following the findings of an investigation into the deadly Jeju Air Flight 2216 crash, which blamed pilot error, victims' families are expressing outrage over what they perceive as an incomplete analysis of the incident.
Families Demand Justice as Investigative Report Points to Pilot Error in Jeju Air Crash
Families Demand Justice as Investigative Report Points to Pilot Error in Jeju Air Crash
Victims' families criticize the investigation's focus on pilot error, calling for a full examination of contributing factors.
The families of those lost in South Korea’s most tragic aviation accident are voicing their discontent with an investigative report that places the blame primarily on pilot error. The report, stemming from the crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216, revealed that the pilot mistakenly shut down the wrong engine after reporting a bird strike prior to the plane’s ill-fated landing at Muan International Airport last December.
The catastrophic outcome left all but two of the 181 passengers dead when the aircraft collided with a concrete barrier during its landing attempt. Families of the victims assert that the investigation was misdirected, as it failed to consider critical factors beyond the pilot’s decisions, notably the concrete barrier contributing to the severity of the crash.
On the morning of December 29, the flight crew declared an emergency after experiencing a bird strike and subsequently attempted a landing approach from an alternate direction. Footage from the incident revealed the plane executing a belly landing without deploying its landing gear, ultimately skidding into a barrier. The engines, sent to France for further assessment, led to the investigation’s conclusion that the pilot had erroneously deactivated the functioning left engine rather than the damaged right engine.
In a collective statement, the bereaved families insisted on a just and thorough investigation, requesting that investigators only conduct public briefings upon completing a comprehensive review of the incident. Furthermore, the Jeju Air pilots’ union echoed these concerns, contending that the focus on pilot errors overlooks other significant components that contributed to the tragedy.
Despite criticism and requests for more detailed analysis, sources familiar with the investigation maintain that the findings will remain unchanged due to sufficient substantiating evidence. In response to the accident, South Korea's transportation ministry has announced plans to eliminate concrete barriers at seven airports.
Additionally, in a separate legal development, relatives of the victims filed a criminal complaint against Jeju Air’s CEO, Kim E-bae, citing negligence in connection to the incident, with Mr. Kim among 24 individuals currently being investigated.
