In a significant development in the Jeju Air crash tragedy, families grieving the loss of their loved ones have filed a criminal complaint against 15 individuals, including South Korea's transport minister and the CEO of Jeju Air, Kim E-bae. This incident occurred on December 29, when a Boeing 737-800 crash-landed at Muan International Airport, resulting in the deaths of 179 out of 181 passengers—marked as South Korea's deadliest aviation disaster.
The bereaved families, consisting of 72 members, have expressed their desire for a comprehensive investigation, asserting that the crash was not merely an accident, but a larger civic disaster attributed to significant negligence. Kim Da-hye, a representative of the victims' families, criticized the slow progress of the investigations, voicing their feelings of "deep anger and despair." With this latest legal action, they are determined to seek the truth and hold those responsible accountable.
Authorities have already begun investigating the incident prior to this complaint, and they had previously barred CEO Kim E-bae from leaving the country. One crucial aspect of their inquiry is the possibility of a bird strike contributing to the crash. Reports indicate that the pilots declared a mayday signal after reportedly hitting a bird five minutes before attempting to land. Their subsequent actions led the aircraft to belly-land without its landing gear, ultimately crashing into a concrete structure and exploding.
The investigation's preliminary findings confirmed that bird feathers were discovered in the engines, but the true impact of the bird strike remains undetermined. In addition to their grief, some families have borne the brunt of online vitriol, with baseless conspiracy theories falsely claiming they were “fake victims,” prompting law enforcement to arrest eight individuals for spreading such defamatory content.
As the investigation unfolds, the families remain resolute, continuing their pursuit for justice and healing in the aftermath of this unprecedented tragedy.
