Most Victims of Jeju Air Identified... Family Notified After Three Days

179 Identified Among 179 People
Funerals Begin Starting with 4 Family Members
Joint Memorial Altar Set Up on 1st Floor This Afternoon

Yonhap News

On the third day of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster, on the 31st, the identities of 174 out of 179 deceased have been confirmed. Funeral procedures will proceed sequentially, starting with the four bodies handed over to the bereaved families.

Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, held a briefing for the families at 9 a.m. in the second-floor waiting room of Muan International Airport and announced this. Minister Park stated, "Early yesterday morning, 175 bodies were placed in refrigerated containers, and the handover procedure for four bodies to the families for funerals has been completed. For the 28 deceased whose identities have been confirmed and autopsies completed, with the consent of the families, funerals will be held starting from 2 p.m. today."

Currently, the victims are placed in 11 refrigerated containers, which were installed early this morning. The last five bodies, whose identities have not yet been confirmed, will also undergo detailed examinations and are planned to be identified within the day.

Minister Park said, "We will do our best to confirm the identities as quickly as possible within today. We understand that you want to see your loved ones immediately, but please wait a little longer." Upon hearing this, the families wiped away their tears once again. Some family members, with voices held back, asked about the condition of the bodies and then broke down in tears.

The families plan to choose either individual funerals or joint funerals after receiving the bodies. A joint memorial altar will be set up in front of Gate 2 on the first floor of Muan Airport, possibly starting from this afternoon.

On the 31st, at the 2nd floor waiting hall of Muan International Airport in Jeonnam, Park Sang-woo, Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and Na Won-oh, Head of Investigation Division of Jeonnam Police Agency, along with other government officials, informed the bereaved families of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster about the recovery status.