Relatives of the victims gathered at the airport are turning themselves into aviation experts to find out what caused the worst air disaster in the country's history.
This was the site of the worst air disaster on South Korean soil. Now, the Muan International Airport terminal serves as a community center for the grieving families of the 179 people killed in the crash. Families gather here to talk, eat together — some even camp overnight.
It was in this vast building in southwestern South Korea that families anxiously awaited news after Jeju Air Flight 7C2216 made an emergency landing on December 29. Tears and outbursts of anger followed as officials periodically read out the names of the dead, many of whom had been identified through DNA testing.
“We're a family now,” said Song Ju-taek, who lost his son in the crash and was among about 20 people sitting around a row of folding tables stocked with water and snacks on Saturday. “People here understand things that others just can't.”
Lately, some grieving families have turned their talk to action: They want to find out what caused the crash. The plane, carrying mostly holidaymakers on a year-end trip to Thailand, plopped down on the runway and flew until it hit a concrete embankment and exploded, leaving only two people alive.
Relatives of the victims say they are frustrated by the slow flow of information from officials and the refusal to release records, including transcripts from the control tower. They want to know more about reports of a bird strike minutes before landing, how the plane came down without landing gear, and why the embankment it crashed into was not designed to yield.
In desperation, some have turned to books and videos to learn about flight safety, including how flight recorders, air traffic controllers, localizers and jet engines work. They are also studying airport design.
