Families Still Seek Answers in Jeju Air Crash

Relatives press for progress as investigation lags.

Families Still Seek Answers in Jeju Air Crash
[Credit: DLeng | Shutterstock]
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Key Takeaways:

  • Families of Jeju Air Flight 2216 victims marked the first anniversary of the Dec. 29, 2024, crash, which killed 179 people, demanding accountability and answers for the disaster.
  • The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board missed its one-year deadline for the final report, with limited details released (preliminary findings included bird strikes and left engine shutdown), sparking concerns over the investigation's independence.
  • President Lee Jae Myung apologized, acknowledging systemic shortcomings, and Parliament is now reviewing a plan to overhaul the accident investigation board in response to calls for real change.
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Families of those killed in Jeju Air Flight 2216’s crash gathered Monday at Muan International Airport to mark the first anniversary of the disaster and to call for accountability. The Boeing 737-800 crash on Dec. 29, 2024, killed 179 people after the aircraft landed without its wheels deployed and struck a concrete embankment. Relatives lit candles and placed flowers near the impact site, where the names of the victims were displayed.

Representing the families, Kim Yu-jin said they would keep pressing for answers until responsibility is clear, Reuters reported. Earlier, President Lee Jae Myung apologized in a statement and said the tragedy exposed systemic shortcomings.

“What’s needed now is not perfunctory promises or empty words but rather real change and action,” Lee said.

The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board missed its one-year deadline to issue a final report. Preliminary findings showed both engines sustained bird strikes, and investigators later confirmed that the left engine was shut down before the landing. Few additional details have been released, prompting concerns over the investigation’s independence and scope. 

Parliament is reviewing a plan to overhaul the board as victims’ families continue looking for closure.

Matt Ryan

Matt is AVweb's lead editor. His eyes have been turned to the sky for as long as he can remember. Now a fixed-wing pilot, instructor and aviation writer, Matt also leads and teaches a high school aviation program in the Dallas area. Beyond his lifelong obsession with aviation, Matt loves to travel and has lived in Greece, Czechia and Germany for studies and for work.

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Replies: 2

  1. The cause is quite apparent - it’s from having horsesh*t pilots operating their aircraft !!! Who in one million years would take an already crippled aircraft BACK into the sky when they’re already pointed at a perfectly suitable runway that’s into the wind ??? Absolutely bonkers judgement and decision making !!!

  2. What’s the point of a final report if it’s bogus or not accepted as truth.

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