South Korean police have raided Jeju Air as part of an investigation into Sunday's crash that killed 179 people. The incident is considered the worst aviation accident in the country.
Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which took off from the Thai capital Bangkok to Muan in southwestern South Korea, landed on its belly and overshot the runway at the regional airport, bursting into flames after hitting an embankment.
Only two crew members survived, who were in the rear of the Boeing 737-800 at the time of the crash.
Police investigators are searching the offices of the airport operator and the Ministry of Transport's aviation authority in the southwestern city of Muan, as well as Jeju Air's office in Seoul, the South Jeolla Province police said in a statement.
Investigators are seizing documents and materials related to the operation and maintenance of the plane, as well as the operation of airport facilities, a police official told the ag. Reuters.
A Jeju Air spokesman said the airline was investigating the situation.
Comments from air safety experts on what led to the deadly explosion focused on the embankment designed to support the navigation equipment, which they said was very rigid and dangerously close to the end of the runway.
“This rigid structure proved catastrophic when the gliding plane hit it“, said Najmeddin Meshkati, an engineering professor at the University of Southern California, adding that it was troubling that the navigation antenna was mounted on “such a concrete structure, rather than the standard metal tower”.