South Korea rebuilds aviation safety system after accidents

(CLO) South Korea will rebuild its aviation safety system from scratch, the country's Transport Ministry announced on Tuesday.

The move comes after two serious air crashes in just one month.

MBC News has released footage showing a possible bird strike to the engine of a Boeing 737 just before its disastrous landing attempt at Muan Airport. Screenshot.

"In order to restore confidence in the nation's aviation safety system, the government will make every effort to rebuild the system from scratch," said Baek Won-kuk, Vice Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. He also stressed that aviation safety is the government's top priority.

The deadliest air accident in South Korean history occurred on December 29, 2024, when a Jeju Air low-cost airline plane skidded off the runway and crashed into a concrete embankment at Muan International Airport, killing 179 of the 181 passengers and crew.

A preliminary investigation report said bird carcasses were found in both engines, suggesting the plane may have collided with a bird before the crash. Experts say air accidents are often caused by a combination of factors.

Less than a month later, an Air Busan plane caught fire at Busan International Airport while preparing to take off. Fortunately, all passengers and crew were safely evacuated.

According to Air Busan, the fire started in the overhead luggage compartment at the back of the plane, first discovered by a flight attendant. Investigations into the cause of both incidents are still underway.

South Korea has set up a 10-week committee with experts from the private sector. The committee will focus on maintenance issues, aircraft utilization rates of low-cost carriers, as well as airport construction and operations.

In the initial response to the Jeju Air crash, authorities announced that they would modify the concrete structures that support navigation equipment at seven airports nationwide. Earlier, the Jeju Air plane had belly-landed and crashed into a concrete barrier at Muan Airport, causing the tragedy.

Low-cost airlines have become a popular choice in South Korea, especially for domestic and regional travel . However, high flight frequencies and low maintenance costs pose safety challenges.

Cao Phong (according to Yonhap, Reuters, MBC)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/han-quoc-tai-thiet-he-thong-an-toan-hang-khong-sau-cac-vu-tai-nan-nghiem-trong-post332918.html