South Korea will reportedly inspect all of its Boeing 737-800 jets after plane crash disaster is followed by malfunction on another flight Read Full Article at RT.com
The apparent technical malfunction comes a day after the same model of Jeju Air plane belly-landed and exploded, killing 179
The South Korean airline whose jet crashed due to a likely landing gear failure, has reported that the same issue has arisen on another of its aircraft, just one day after the tragedy that killed 179 people.
A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 with 161 passengers onboard reported a landing gear malfunction shortly after taking of from Seoul’s Gimpo International Airport on Monday, prompting the plane's return to the hub.
“The turnaround was a necessary measure for safe operation…We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to our passengers,” an unnamed Jeju Air representative told JoongAng Daily.
The Boeing 737-800 that malfunctioned on Monday is the same model that was involved in Sunday’s tragic accident at Muan, south west of Seoul. That crash, one of the deadliest aviation disasters in South Korea’s history, claimed 179 lives.
Jeju Air Flight 7C 2216, returning from Bangkok, Thailand, with 175 passengers and six crew members, crash-landed at Muan International Airport on Sunday morning. The aircraft veered off the runway, struck a perimeter fence, and exploded on impact.
Two crew members survived and are being treated for injuries.
The cause of the tragedy is currently under investigation, with preliminary findings pointing to a landing-gear malfunction. Local media outlets had reported that authorities believed the airliner was struck by a flock of birds, leading to a malfunction in its landing gear. Aviation experts questioned this theory in a report from Reuters.
Boeing 737-800s are primarily used by low-cost domestic airlines. Jeju Air currently operates 39 of these aircraft, while a total of 62 are collectively flown by T’way Air, Jin Air, Eastar Jet, Air Incheon, and Korean Air.
South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport is set to conduct a special inspection of all Boeing 737-800 jets operated by the country’s air carriers, Yonhap news agency reported on Monday.
