South Korean investigators said Saturday they are close to finalizing a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder of a deadly plane crash that killed 179 people last week.
The recording may provide clues to the final moments of Jeju Air Flight 2216, which was carrying 181 passengers and crew from Thailand to South Korea, before it crashed into a concrete barrier at the end of the airport runway on Sunday. Had come down from the stomach.
South Korean and US investigators, including aircraft manufacturer Boeing, have been examining the crash site in southwestern Mu’an since the disaster to establish the cause.
“Transcription of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) is expected to be completed today, and the flight data recorder (FDR) is in the process of being prepared for transportation to the United States for analysis,” South Korea’s Land Ministry said in a statement. ” statement.
The ministry said investigators also recovered the plane’s engine from the crash site this week.
The exact cause of the Boeing 737-800 crash is still unknown, but investigators have pointed to bird strike, faulty landing gear and runway obstruction as possible issues.
Police said authorities this week carried out search and seizure operations at Muan Airport, where the plane crashed, a regional aviation office in the southwestern city and the office of Jeju Air in the capital of Seoul.
Police also said Jeju Air Chief Executive Kim E-bae was banned from leaving the country pending the investigation.
The pilot warned of bird strike before abandoning the first landing and then warned of a crash on the second attempt when the landing gear did not deploy.
Dramatic video shows the plane hitting the concrete barrier at the end of the runway before bursting into flames.
Authorities have begun collecting debris from the jet, and returning bodies and personal belongings of some identified victims recovered from the crash site to bereaved families.
The plane was carrying mainly South Korean passengers, except two Thai passengers, from a year-end trip to Bangkok.
Pictures from local media showed officials handing over smartphones, dried mangoes and coconuts from Thailand, among other items.