The tragedy that struck South Korea on December 29, killing 179 people, has taken a shocking twist. Authorities are now grappling with a critical issue: the black boxes from the doomed Jeju Air flight are missing the final four minutes of data. What caused this mysterious blackout? Investigators are on the case, aiming to uncover the truth.
Jeju Air flight 7C2216: the final moments
The flight, Jeju Air 7C2216, was headed from Bangkok to Muan airport in southwestern South Korea. But disaster struck just moments before landing. The Boeing 737-800 crash-landed, overshooting the runway and slamming into a concrete embankment. The explosion that followed left the airport in flames. Two crew members, injured but alive, were rescued from the wreckage.
Missing data: the black box mystery
But the plot thickens. The black boxes—the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder—were meant to capture everything. But crucially, they stopped recording about four minutes before the crash. Authorities have confirmed that data from the last moments of flight is missing. And now, everyone is asking: Why?
Investigation shifts to U.S. for deeper analysis
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport, investigators initially examined the voice recorder in South Korea. When they realized the data was incomplete, they sent the recorder to the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board for further analysis. They also shipped the heavily damaged flight data recorder to the United States for more detailed inspection.
Possible power failure: theories behind missing data
The missing data is a major piece of the puzzle. Investigators suspect a power failure may have caused the black boxes to stop recording. This theory points to a possible issue with both the main and backup power sources. This rare occurrence raises more questions than answers.
Bird strike and emergency call before crash
But there’s more. The pilots of Jeju Air 7C2216 had already declared an emergency before the crash. About four minutes before impact, they informed air traffic control that the aircraft had suffered a bird strike. In response, air traffic controllers issued a warning about “bird activity” just two minutes earlier. The pilots attempted a go-around, abandoning their landing attempt. However, instead of making a standard turn, the aircraft sharply veered off course, approaching the runway from the opposite direction. The plane crash-landed without landing gear deployed.
Shocking discovery: missing data suggests power loss
Sim Jai-dong, a former transport ministry accident investigator, says the missing data is startling. He suggests that the black boxes lost power completely in the final moments. He calls it a rare occurrence that deepens the mystery surrounding the crash.
While authorities analyze all available data, the investigation has raised other questions. One key issue is the embankment at the end of the runway. Built to support the “localizer” system, which helps planes land, experts now question why the embankment was placed so close to the end of the runway, especially after the tragedy.
Transparency and family demands for independent experts
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport has vowed to keep the process transparent. They’ve promised to share information with the families of the victims as the probe unfolds. However, some relatives of the deceased are not happy with the ministry’s leadership in the investigation. They’re calling for independent experts to take charge, including those recommended by the families themselves.
As the investigation continues, every detail will be scrutinized. The missing data from the black boxes may hold the key to unraveling this mystery. The families of the victims and the public are demanding answers, and only time will tell if the truth can be uncovered.
