South Korea’s acting President Choi Sang-mok ordered an emergency safety inspection on Monday of the country’s entire airline operation system as investigators worked to identify victims and find out what caused the deadliest air disaster in the country.
All 175 passengers and four of the six crew were killed when a Jeju Air (089590.KS), Boeing (BA.N), belly-landed and skidded off the end of the runway at Muan International Airport, erupting in a fireball as it slammed into a wall. Two crew members were pulled out alive.
The top priority for now is identifying the victims, supporting their families and treating the two survivors, Choi told a disaster management meeting in Seoul, according to Reuters.
“Even before the final results are out, we ask that officials transparently disclose the accident investigation process and promptly inform the bereaved families,” he said.
“As soon as the accident recovery is conducted, the transport ministry is requested to conduct an emergency safety inspection of the entire aircraft operation system to prevent recurrence of aircraft accidents,” he said.
