Headline:
Tragedy Strikes Again: Entire Crew and Passengers of Jeju Air Flight Perish in South Korea
Article:
In a devastating blow to the aviation world, all 181 people on board a Jeju Air flight from Thailand to South Korea have lost their lives after the aircraft crashed upon landing at Muan International Airport on Sunday (29/12). Only two flight attendants miraculously survived the fatal incident.
The Boeing 737-800, with 175 passengers and 6 crew members, encountered a catastrophic event during its descent, ultimately leading to the tragic loss of lives. Investigations into the flight data recorder (black box) are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the accident.
Initial assessments from aviation experts and South Korean authorities suggest that a combination of a bird strike and adverse weather conditions may have contributed to the disaster. A bird strike, although relatively common, can cause significant damage to an aircraft, particularly if it occurs in poor weather conditions.
"[The cause] is likely a bird strike combined with bad weather," said Lee Jeong-hyun, chief of the Muan Fire Station. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport also confirmed that air traffic control had warned the pilots about a bird strike before the fatal landing attempt.
The aircraft initially attempted to land again but failed, resulting in a landing without its landing gear. It then veered off the runway, hit a fence, and burst into flames.
What is a Bird Strike?
A bird strike is an incident that occurs when an aircraft collides with a bird during flight. While seemingly innocuous, such collisions can pose significant hazards to aircraft, especially when they involve large flocks of birds.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) warns that bird strikes can cause engine failure or loss of lift, potentially leading to catastrophic consequences. Unfortunately, bird strikes have been responsible for several fatal aviation accidents worldwide.
One of the most memorable incidents was the "Miracle on the Hudson" in 2009, where a US Airways Airbus A320 was forced to make an emergency landing on the Hudson River after striking a flock of geese, disabling both engines. Miraculously, all passengers and crew survived.
However, aviation consultant Philip Butterworth-Hayes told AFP that if a bird strike indeed caused the Jeju Air tragedy, it must have hit a critical point on the aircraft. "It would take a catastrophic chain of events for something like this to happen," he said. "The protection systems on aircraft are very robust."
Butterworth-Hayes described the Jeju Air incident as "the most serious I’ve seen in recent years."
This is a developing story. More details will be added as they become available.
Reporting by Reuters, with additional reporting by CNN Indonesia.
