Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport Accident Investigation Committee "Air Busan On-site Inspection, Schedule Confirmed After Risk Assessment on 31st"

French Accident Investigation Authority Joins
ARAIB and BEA to Review Fire Risk Management and Investigation Plans
Joint On-Site Probe to Be Determined After Safety Measures

The Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will decide on June 31 whether to proceed with a full-scale on-site investigation of the Air Busan fire accident. Experts from ARAIB and the French accident investigation authority (BEA) will review the risk management evaluation results of the aircraft filled with aviation fuel and plan the future investigation schedule.

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport stated, "On June 30, we discussed fire investigation measures with the National Forensic Service, police forensic team, and fire officials, and consulted with BEA on the direction of the accident investigation."

According to international regulations, BEA from France, the country where the accident aircraft was designed and manufactured, is participating in the investigation. A total of 10 experts, including one newly appointed representative, have been dispatched for this investigation.

On the morning of the 30th, at Gimhae International Airport in Gangseo-gu, Busan, the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board, Busan Police Agency, Busan Fire and Disaster Headquarters, and the National Forensic Service conducted an on-site inspection to ensure safety ahead of a joint fire investigation. Photo by Yonhap News

ARAIB is keeping all possibilities open to clearly identify the cause of the fire. On the day of the accident, June 28, the Ministry immediately formed an accident investigation team. On the following day, June 29, initial investigations were conducted from 5:55 a.m., including on-site confirmation, securing crew statements, and collecting related materials.

Measures to prevent secondary accidents have also been initiated. Currently, the accident aircraft contains approximately 35,900 pounds of fuel and hazardous materials such as passenger emergency oxygen cylinders. During the on-site investigation, safety measures such as inspecting the fuselage cargo hold for damage, reviewing the necessity of fuel removal, and separating emergency oxygen cylinders are being prioritized to prevent explosions or other accidents.

After safety measures are completed, if fuel discharge is deemed unnecessary, ARAIB will immediately conduct a joint fire investigation with relevant agencies and BEA. ARAIB and BEA will inspect the airframe and cargo hold and investigate any correlation with the fire. If no abnormalities are found, the procedure to return checked baggage to passengers will begin.

BEA from France, where the manufacturer Airbus is based, is participating in this investigation in accordance with international regulations related to the accident. One newly appointed representative and four investigators are in Korea. Six personnel from Airbus are also participating in the investigation.