EPAInvestigators say they have found evidence of a bird strike on a passenger plane that crashed in South Korea in December and killed 179 people.
The feathers and blood stains on both engines of the Jeju air aircraft were from Baikal Teal, a type of migrating duck that entered in large flocks, according to a preliminary investigation report published on Monday.
The crash investigation – the most deadly on South Korean soil – will now focus on the role of the bird's impact and the concrete structure at the end of the track in which the plane crashed.
The engines of the Boeing 737-800 will be demolished and the concrete structure will be considered further, the report said.
Jeju's air aircraft flew from Bangkok on the morning of December 29 and flew to Muan International Airport in the southwestern part of the country.
Around 08:57 local time, three minutes after the pilots contacted the airport, the control tower advised the crew to be cautious about the “bird activity”.
At 08:59, the pilot reported that the plane had hit a bird and announced a signal for May.
The pilot then asked for a landing permission from the opposite direction, during which he unfolded with his stomach without unfolding his landing. He overcomes the track and broke out after it crashed into the concrete structure, the report said.
Authorities have stated earlier that flight data and cabins for voice booths from the aircraft stopped recording about four minutes before the disaster.
Experts who flew the same type of aircraft involved in the crash also question the presence of concrete barriers on the runway – some suggest that the secret of victims would be a lower if they were not there.
The concrete structure has a navigation system that helps landing aircraft known as a localizer.
The Ministry of Transport in South Korea said this system could be found at other airports in the country and even abroad.
Last week, authorities announced they would do so Change the concrete barriers used for navigation At seven airports across the country. The seven airports will also adapt their track safety areas after review.
The preliminary report was presented to the United Nations and the United States, France and Thailand Aviation Agency.
