Investigators have uncovered bird feathers and traces of blood in both engines of the Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 that crashed in South Korea last month, killing 179 people. A source close to the investigation disclosed this on Friday, highlighting a possible bird strike as a key factor in the tragedy.
The aircraft, which was traveling from Bangkok to Muan County, attempted to land at a regional airport but belly-landed, overshot the runway, and burst into flames after colliding with an embankment. Only two crew members seated at the rear of the plane survived the crash.
Emergency Declared Before Crash
According to South Korean aviation authorities, one of the pilots reported a bird strike and declared an emergency just four minutes before the crash. The pilot attempted a go-around maneuver, aiming to land on the opposite end of the runway, but the effort ended in failure.
Notably, two minutes before the pilot’s Mayday call, air traffic control had issued a warning about “bird activity” in the vicinity of the airport. This advisory has intensified concerns about wildlife hazards near aviation facilities.
Evidence of Bird Strike
Video footage analyzed by investigators confirmed a bird strike on one of the engines during the approach. Further examination of the crash site revealed bird feathers and blood in both engines, reinforcing the likelihood that the engines were severely compromised by the collision with birds.
While South Korea’s transport ministry has not officially confirmed the findings, the evidence adds weight to theories that wildlife interference played a significant role in the crash.
Missing Black Box Data
The investigation has encountered a significant obstacle: the aircraft’s two black boxes stopped recording about four minutes before the crash. This missing data leaves critical moments leading up to the tragedy unaccounted for.
Sim Jai-dong, a former transport ministry accident investigator, described the missing data as “alarming,” suggesting it might point to a complete loss of power, including backup systems—an extremely rare occurrence.
Rare Yet Not Unprecedented
Bird strikes affecting both engines are highly unusual, but history shows they do not always result in fatalities. Notable incidents include the 2009 “Miracle on the Hudson,” where a US Airways pilot safely landed on the Hudson River after a bird strike, and a 2019 emergency landing in a Russian cornfield, both of which ended without any loss of life.
The Jeju Air crash underscores the ongoing risks posed by wildlife to aviation and raises questions about the effectiveness of measures to mitigate such hazards near airports.
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