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Investigators have shed new light on the tragic Jeju Air disaster that claimed 181 lives last month, unveiling a shocking discovery that could help explain the events leading to South Korea's deadliest air crash in modern history.
The accident happened on December 29 when a Boeing 737-800 flying from Bangkok, Thailand to Muan International Airport skidded off the runway. Unable to drop the landing gear, the aircraft directly hit a wall made of concrete and resulted in an immense blaze. Of the total 183 individuals aboard the flight, only two survivors were found sitting in the back portion.
Bombshell DNA Discovery
In one breakthrough, investigators announced the presence of duck DNA in the engines of the crashed plane. This was discovered during the wreckage inspections, which could have explained why the plane suffered from critical engine failure. Air traffic controllers had warned the pilot prior to the crash about the possibility of bird strikes, a hazard which proved tragically accurate.
Wildlife strikes, including those with birds, are a known hazard to aviation, often resulting in major engine damage. The presence of duck DNA supports the hypothesis that several bird strikes could have caused the engines to fail when the aircraft attempted to make an emergency landing.
The Missing Four Minutes
A key complication for any investigation is the four-minute gap in recorded data before the crash. According to experts, that lost data is a big obstacle to finding out what exactly happened. In its absence, it would be tougher to pinpoint the exact cause of the disaster, and delays in these answers are what the victims' families live through.
A Preventable Tragedy?
There is also criticism over the infrastructure at Muan International Airport, where the concrete wall the plane hit has come under scrutiny from analysts who believe it should have been made with lighter materials designed to break on impact, causing minimal damage to the aircraft.
In turn, the Transport Ministry of South Korea announced plans to tear down the wall to avoid such tragedies. That is one of the big steps toward improvement after the disastrous crash.
Human Loss and Resilience
Of the 181 deaths, most were citizens of South Korea returning from Thailand. The two survivors-who survived because their seats were probably at the back of the plane-are still recuperating from their injuries.
This has been one of those sad moments in South Korea's aviation history, that moment in time as a nation when questions such as regulation for safety, threats by wildlife, and efficiency in emergency responses came under consideration.
The Way Forward
Investigations still continue, during which time authorities attempt to resolve those systemic deficiencies that the disaster exposed: implementing means for managing wildlife to reduce the risk of bird strikes, reviewing airport safety standards, and increasing pilot training on emergency procedures.
For now, the discovery of DNA is a clue to unlocking the mystery behind such disaster. Though the costs of 181 lives could never be reversed, it is now a possible clue that will enlighten how such disasters can be prevented in the future.