Jeju Air Crash: Black Box Recordings Stopped Four Minutes Before Tragedy
In a shocking revelation, investigators have found that the black boxes of the Jeju Air flight involved in last month’s fatal crash stopped recording crucial data just four minutes before the disaster. The crash, which occurred on December 29, 2024, claimed 179 lives and left investigators struggling to piece together the exact sequence of events.
According to South Korean authorities, analysis by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) of the flight data recorder (FDR) and cockpit voice recorder (CVR) revealed that both devices stopped recording at 8:59 a.m. The tragedy unfolded at 9:03 a.m. when the B737-800 aircraft collided with a concrete mound housing localizer equipment at the end of the runway at Muan International Airport. The plane skidded without its landing gear deployed, resulting in a devastating explosion.
Despite the missing four minutes of data, investigators emphasized that other sources of evidence, such as air traffic control records, video footage, and debris analysis, are being utilized to understand the crash. The black box components were sent to the NTSB in Washington for cross-verification to ensure accuracy, and South Korean investigators are set to continue their probe upon returning home.
Transport Minister Park Sang-woo has taken steps to ensure a fair and objective investigation by excluding current and former senior officials from the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, which is leading the inquiry. Park announced that this decision was made to avoid conflicts of interest and uphold transparency.
The government has committed to conducting the investigation in compliance with international norms and domestic laws. “We will leave no stone unturned in determining the cause of this tragedy,” Park said during a press briefing in Sejong.
The loss of life and the gaps in critical flight data have left families and officials seeking answers as they work to uncover the truth behind one of South Korea’s most devastating aviation accidents.
News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”
