Families of victims from the December Jeju Air plane crash are voicing their anger at a report which attributes the accident to pilot error, insisting that the investigation failed to address critical factors. The report, released by South Korea's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, concluded that the pilot of Jeju Air Flight 2216 mistakenly shut down the left engine instead of the right, which had sustained damage from a bird strike. This incident occurred as the aircraft was attempting an emergency landing at Muan International Airport, where all but two of the 181 passengers perished.
The families argued that the report neglects to consider the concrete barrier at the runway’s end, which they claim intensified the disaster's severity. They emphasized the need for a fair and transparent inquiry and condemned the framing of the pilot as solely responsible for the incident. In their statement, they called on the investigation team to conduct a press briefing only after thoroughly examining all possible contributing factors.
The pilots' union echoed these sentiments, criticizing the report for focusing narrowly on pilot error while failing to address systemic issues that might have played a role in the crash. After the enquiry, South Korea’s transport ministry announced plans to remove similar concrete barriers at multiple airports to enhance safety.
As the investigation continues, families are pressing legal action against Jeju Air executives, including CEO Kim E-bae, citing professional negligence. Meanwhile, investigators maintain that their findings are based on conclusive evidence and won't be amended. The fallout from this tragedy raises significant questions about aviation safety and accountability in South Korea.
