In order to further investigate the plane crash that resulted in the deaths of 179 people, the South Korean police conducted a raid on the offices of the units involved in the accident on Thursday, January 2, and prohibited senior officials of the airline involved from leaving the country.
According to CBS News, the Jeolla South Police Department’s Jeju Air Crash Investigation Headquarters reported that on Thursday they conducted searches and seizures at the offices of the Muan Airport responsible department, and the Seoul Jeju Air office.
The Jeolla South police stated, “The investigation team has issued exit restrictions for 2 senior executives (including Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae).”
In a statement to Agence France-Presse, the police said, “The police plan to quickly and strictly determine the cause and responsibility of the accident based on the law and principles.”
Last Sunday, December 29, Jeju Air flight 7C2216 took off from Bangkok, Thailand, and crash-landed at Incheon International Airport in South Korea, skidded off the runway, hit the airport perimeter wall, and exploded in fire. Of the 181 people on board (175 passengers and 6 crew members), only 2 crew members survived.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the search also targeted the Busan Civil Aviation Office in Muan, the Jeju Air Seoul Office, among others.
Currently, the police have not brought charges against anyone. Under South Korean law, professional or gross negligence resulting in death can carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.
Jeju Air’s stock price has fallen by about 13% this week, with tens of thousands of passengers canceling their tickets on this budget airline.
Reports say that the company’s directors announced on Thursday that they will cooperate with the police investigation and plan to reduce the number of domestic flights starting as early as next week.
The investigation will focus on the communication between the Incheon control tower and Jeju Air pilots, especially in the final 6 minutes of the flight when there were multiple landing attempts, bird strike distress signals, and the aircraft attempting a belly landing in the middle of the airport’s only runway.
The investigation will also review whether Jeju Air complied with regulations, properly maintained the aircraft, and will examine the design of the airport runway.
South Korean Acting President Choi Sang-mok has ordered a thorough inspection of the national aviation operations system, including special safety checks on over 100 Boeing 737-800 aircraft of the same model as the one involved in the crash operated by domestic airlines.