Preliminary findings on South Korean aviation disaster reveal bird strike involvement

Monday 27 January 2025 - 11:38

A recent investigation into a tragic aviation accident in South Korea has uncovered bird remains in the engines of the Boeing 737-800 that crashed on December 29. The preliminary report, issued by South Korean authorities, reveals that both engines of the ill-fated plane contained DNA from Baikal Teals, a species of migratory ducks. Additionally, bloodstains and feathers were found on each engine.

The flight, which was en route from Thailand to Muan, South Korea, crash-landed and exploded after striking a concrete barrier. It is one of the deadliest aviation disasters in the country, claiming the lives of 179 out of 181 people aboard. Despite the discovery of bird remains, the investigation has yet to determine the exact cause of the crash, including why the plane landed without its landing gear deployed and why the flight data recorders ceased functioning in the final moments of the flight.

As the investigation continues, authorities revealed that the pilots had observed a group of birds while approaching the runway, and a nearby security camera captured footage of the aircraft nearing the birds during a go-around maneuver. Shortly after being cleared for landing, the plane's voice and data recording systems stopped working at an altitude of approximately 500 feet, just 2 kilometers from the runway. The pilots declared an emergency and attempted a belly landing, but the plane exploded upon hitting the concrete embankment.

The investigation also raised questions about the presence of such barriers at the end of the runway, prompting authorities to announce plans to replace concrete barriers with breakable structures at airports across the country.

The flight crew had extensive experience, with the captain having logged over 6,800 flight hours and the first officer with 1,650 hours. Tragically, both were killed in the crash, and the only survivors were two flight attendants.

The report has been shared with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as well as authorities in Thailand, the United States, and France.