New Data in South Korea: Suspicions Increase in Plane Crash

south korea - New data reveals that maintenance-related flight delays of Jeju Air, which was involved in a plane crash where 179 people lost their lives in South Korea, are raising safety concerns.

In South Korea, new data has emerged that will increase suspicions about Jeju Air, the company involved in the plane crash where 179 people lost their lives. According to the data presented to Lee Yeon-hee, a member of the opposition Democratic Party by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, Jeju Air was the domestic airline that experienced the most flight delays due to maintenance in the first half of 2024.

During this period, out of the 52,883 flights operated by the company, 536 were delayed due to maintenance issues, surpassing the numbers for Korean Air (422 delays), T'way Air (315 delays), Jin Air (243 delays), and Air Busan (227 delays).

The maintenance-related delay rate for Jeju Air in this 6-month period was 1.01%, exceeding the industry average of 0.64%. This latest data indicating that Jeju Air may have prioritized operational continuity over flight safety has raised concerns among the public.

Before the crash, the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 plane, which took off from Bangkok, Thailand, crashed into a wall during landing at Muan International Airport on December 29. The crash resulted in the loss of 179 lives, with only 2 cabin crew members surviving with injuries.

The South Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport stated that the pilot requested an emergency landing after receiving a bird strike warning from the tower and landed with the landing gear closed. An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause of the accident.

It was also revealed that the plane involved in the crash had completed 13 flights in the 48 hours prior to the incident. Jeju Air announced its plans to reduce flight numbers by 10-15% until March to enhance operational safety following the crash.