South Korean cops raid offices of Jeju Air as crash probe intensifies

INA-  SOURCES


South Korean police raided the offices of Jeju Air and the operator of Muan International Airport Thursday as they step up a probe into the fatal crash of a Boeing 737-800 that killed 179 people.

The flight was carrying 181 passengers and crew from Thailand to South Korea on Sunday when it issued a mayday call and belly-landed before slamming into a barrier, killing all aboard except two flight attendants.

Authorities on Thursday carried out search and seizure operations at Muan airport where flight 2216 crashed, a regional aviation office in the southwestern city, and Jeju Air's office in the capital Seoul, police said.

Jeju Air's chief executive Kim E-bae has also been banned from leaving the country as the investigation continues, police said separately.
"The police plan to swiftly and rigorously determine the cause and responsibility for this accident in accordance with the law and principles," police said in a statement sent to AFP.
At Muan airport Thursday, soldiers, police and white-suited investigators were still combing the crash site, as orange-robed monks held prayer ceremonies nearby.
Inside the airport, the stairs were covered in colourful post-it notes left by mourners.
"Honey, I miss you way too much," one of them said.

"Even if you faced lonely and painful moments in death, may you now soar like a butterfly," another read.
Relatives also left flowers and food near the crash site including tteokguk —- rice cake soup traditionally enjoyed in South Korea on New Year's Day —- as they said their goodbyes, many in tears.
Star chefs featured in Netflix's megahit cooking competition show "Culinary Class Wars", including Ahn Yu-seong, joined volunteers in Muan this week to prepare meals for the victims' families.
And people nationwide were remotely pre-paying for coffee at the airport's cafe so that victims' families, who have been camped out in the lounge since Sunday, waiting for news, could drink for free.
More bodies were released Thursday to families to prepare for funerals, the land ministry said.



SOURCE: INDIA TODAY