Jeju Air Crash: Families of Victims Demand Accountability

In the aftermath of the Muan International Airport disaster, which claimed 179 lives, relatives of the victims have filed a criminal complaint against 15 aviation officials.

Almost five months after a catastrophic Jeju Air accident that left 179 people dead in a fireball at South Korea’s Muan International Airport on December 29, a group of grieving family members have taken action by filing a criminal complaint against 15 officials from the government and aviation sector. On Tuesday, 72 relatives submitted their claim to the Jeonnam Provincial Police agency, alleging negligence and breaches of South Korean law, as stated by their lawyers.

Among those named in the complaint are significant figures such as Jeju Air’s CEO Kim E-bae, Transport Minister Park Sang-woo, and key airport operators at Muan. The families contended that the incident was the result of criminal negligence rather than a mere accident, pointing to violations of both the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Aviation Safety Act.

“They failed to mitigate risks, and this disaster was due to their negligence,” remarked one representative from the family’s legal team. The complaint focuses on numerous issues related to the flight operation, including the pilot's sharp maneuver before landing, concerns over the aircraft’s engine maintenance, and the malfunction of the flight recorder, which stopped functioning just four minutes before the crash.

As investigations continue, including insights from the U.S. officials, the official cause of the accident remains undisclosed. Reports from The New York Times indicated long-standing warnings regarding bird strike hazards and suggested that better runway safety measures, such as using more forgiving materials for barriers, might have decreased the crash's lethality.

Family member Kim Da-hye expressed frustration over the lack of progress since the tragedy, stating, “I can’t help but feel deep anger and despair.” In response to the incident, transportation and airport officials have pledged to implement comprehensive reforms, enhancing safety measures including infrastructure reconstruction and increased use of drone technology to monitor bird activity near airports.

Currently, Muan International Airport is scheduled to resume operations in July following the introduction of several high-priority safety protocols, while ongoing investigations by the Aviation Railroad Accident Investigation Committee continue.