Sat Jan 25 09:00:30 UTC 2025: ## South Korea to Release Preliminary Report on Deadly Jeju Air Crash
**Seoul, South Korea** – South Korea’s Transport Ministry announced on Saturday that a preliminary report on the December 29th Jeju Air plane crash, which claimed 179 lives, will be released by Monday. The crash, the deadliest air disaster in South Korean history, involved flight 7C2216, a Boeing 737-800, which crashed at Muan International Airport upon arrival from Bangkok.
The report, which will be shared with international aviation organizations including the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the US National Transportation Safety Board, and French and Thai authorities, will focus on several key areas. A primary investigation involves the potential role of a bird strike in the incident. The ministry confirmed that pilots reported birds shortly before issuing a mayday, and that airport CCTV footage, though distant, shows the plane making contact with birds during a go-around. Further evidence includes the discovery of duck feathers and blood in both engines.
The report will analyze flight data and cockpit voice recordings, although the latter stopped four minutes and seven seconds before the crash. Communication recordings with air traffic control will also be examined. The ministry will conduct a separate analysis of a concrete embankment that experts believe exacerbated the severity of the crash. The ministry announced earlier this week that this embankment will be removed. A full investigation is expected to take several months. Only two crew members survived the crash.
First Piper 