Interim Report Points to Pilot Error, but Raises More Suspicions
Calls for Disclosure of Original Data, Including Black Box
Lack of Independence Due to Ministry Influence... Urgent Need for Parliamentary Action
The bereaved families of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster have expressed distrust in the investigation by the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB) and have called for a parliamentary investigation to uncover the truth.
On January 18, a joint memorial service was held at Jeonnam Muan International Airport, hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and attended by the bereaved families of the December 29 Jeju Air passenger plane disaster victims. The event was organized by Jeonnam Province, Gwangju City, and Muan County. Photo by Song Bohyun
On August 26, the Association of Bereaved Families of the December 29 Muan Airport Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster and its legal support team issued a statement urging the National Assembly to take action, saying, "Eight months have passed since the disaster, but the ARAIB has failed to earn the trust of the bereaved families due to its passive investigation and lack of disclosure of materials." The association pointed out, "Some of the investigation results announced last month were difficult to accept and have only fueled further suspicions."
In particular, the association raised concerns about the ARAIB's announcement that "the cause of the accident was the pilot's mistake in shutting down the left engine instead of the right one." They further stated, "The disaster should not be attributed to a single factor, but should be comprehensively investigated with all possibilities in mind," and criticized the use of language that could be misunderstood as a final conclusion, even though it was not.
They also noted, "There are still many suspicions about the timing when the right engine's power supply was cut off, and it has not been confirmed whether it was intentionally disconnected." They explained, "Since a spring-loaded switch returns to its original position even after being moved up and down, there is a counterargument that the switch status alone cannot determine whether the pilot shut it off directly."
The association called for the release of original data, such as black box recordings and audio files, emphasizing, "Claims that there were no defects in the engine or airframe can only be verified by disclosing the original data." They added, "The ARAIB is under the absolute influence of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, making it structurally difficult to ensure independence and objectivity," stressing that "an urgent parliamentary investigation is needed to ensure a fair and objective inquiry into the truth."
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