logo
Evidence shows Jeju Air pilots shut off less-damaged engine before crash, source says

Evidence shows Jeju Air pilots shut off less-damaged engine before crash, source says

CNA5 days ago
SEOUL: The South Korea-led investigation into Jeju Air's fatal plane crash in December has "clear evidence" that pilots shut off the less-damaged engine after a bird strike, a source with knowledge of the probe said on Monday (Jul 21).
The source said the evidence, including the cockpit voice recorder, computer data and a physical engine switch found in the wreckage showed pilots shut off the left engine instead of the right engine when taking emergency steps after a bird strike just before it was scheduled to land.
"The investigation team has clear evidence and backup data, so its finding will not change," the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity because investigators have not released an official report including this evidence.
A government source said examinations of the plane's recovered engines found that no defects had been present before the bird strike and crash.
The Dec 29 crash of the Boeing 737-800 jet at Muan Airport killed all but two of the 181 passengers and crew members on board and was the deadliest air disaster on South Korean soil.
Investigators told victims' family members at a briefing on Saturday that the right engine had been more severely damaged by a bird strike than the left, and there was circumstantial evidence that pilots had turned off the less-damaged left engine, according to a third source who was at the briefing.
South Korean media outlets including MBN and Yonhap reported that information on Saturday and Sunday.
South Korea's Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board (ARAIB), which is leading the investigation, did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
Boeing referred questions about the crash to ARAIB. Engine maker CFM International, a joint venture between GE and France's Safran, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Jeju Air said it was actively cooperating with the ARAIB's investigation and awaiting the official announcement of the results.
Most air crashes are caused by multiple factors, and under international rules, a final report is expected within a year of an accident.
A preliminary report released in January said duck remains were found in both engines of the Jeju Air plane after the flight from Bangkok crashed at Muan Airport, but did not give details about the extent of remains or damage found in each engine.
OBJECTIONS FROM VICTIMS' FAMILIES
South Korea's investigation body on Saturday cancelled a planned release to media of an update on what is known so far about the engines.
Families of the crash victims were briefed on the report ahead of its planned release, but objected to its publication, saying that it appeared to apportion blame to the pilots without exploring other contributing factors, lawyers representing the families said.
The Jeju Air flight overshot Muan Airport's runway as it made an emergency belly landing and crashed into an embankment containing navigation equipment, leading to a fire and partial explosion.
Representatives of victims' families and the Jeju Air pilots' union said over the weekend that the investigation needs to also focus on the embankment, which aviation experts have said likely contributed to the high death toll.
The Jeju Air pilots' union said the ARAIB was "misleading the public" by suggesting there was no problem with the left engine given traces of bird remains were found in both engines.
The union accused the ARAIB of trying to make pilots "scapegoats" by failing to provide scientific and technological grounds that the plane could have landed safely with only the left engine turned on.
Air accidents are complex incidents that occur due to a number of contributing factors, and investigators have not produced evidence so far to support the implication that the accident was a result of pilot error, the union said.
Investigators are so far "silent about organisational responsibility", the union said.
A body representing bereaved families said in a statement there were some phrases related to the cause of the accident in the planned press release that could be interpreted as if a final conclusion had been reached, and all facts surrounding the incident must be clarified.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Vietnam bus crash kills 10 passengers, including two children
Vietnam bus crash kills 10 passengers, including two children

CNA

time11 hours ago

  • CNA

Vietnam bus crash kills 10 passengers, including two children

HANOI: Ten people, including two children, were killed early Friday (Jul 25) when an overnight sleeper bus crashed in central Vietnam, the government said. The bus, which was travelling from Hanoi to the central city of Da Nang, veered off the national highway, struck roadside markers and overturned, according to a government statement. All of the deceased were Vietnamese. Another 12 passengers were injured and taken to hospital. State media reported that five of those killed were domestic tourists headed to Da Nang for a holiday. 'The bus overturned... I couldn't sit up as my body and my hands were smashed into the side of the bed,' a passenger told the Dan Tri news site. The passenger said several of the victims had been in the front bunks and "suffered from the strong impact". Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has called for an investigation into the crash. The incident comes just a week after a tourist boat capsized in UNESCO-listed Ha Long Bay, killing 38 Vietnamese passengers and crew. Only 10 people survived. Rescuers are still searching for one person who remains missing.

Indonesia court convicts aide of former president Megawati in blow to opposition
Indonesia court convicts aide of former president Megawati in blow to opposition

Straits Times

time17 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Indonesia court convicts aide of former president Megawati in blow to opposition

Find out what's new on ST website and app. Hasto Krsitiyanto was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and fined 250 million rupiah (S$19,605). JAKARTA – An Indonesian court convicted a senior aide to former President Megawati Soekarnoputri in a corruption case, dealing a blow to the leadership of the nation's main opposition party. The Central Jakarta District Court on July 25 found Hasto Kristiyanto, secretary-general of Ms Megawati's Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), guilty of bribing a former election commission official in 2019 to facilitate the replacement of a Member of Parliament. Hasto was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and fined 250 million rupiah (S$19,605). The court acquitted him of a separate charge of obstructing a corruption investigation into a fugitive linked to the party. Both parties have seven days to appeal the verdict. Prosecutors had sought a seven-year sentence. The case has revived longstanding concerns about judicial independence in the South-east Asian democracy, particularly as other opposition-linked figures come under legal scrutiny. Last week, a vocal government critic and former trade minister was convicted in a graft case related to sugar imports. Hasto has consistently denied wrongdoing. He said on July 25 that his verdict was similar to what the former minister had experienced, 'where the law becomes a tool of power.' Prosecutors previously have denied any ulterior motive in the case. The ruling represents a setback for PDI-P, the largest party in Parliament and the sole major party outside the ruling coalition of President Prabowo Subianto. The imprisonment of a senior official could diminish the party's parliamentary influence, and prompt internal debates over whether to continue its relatively non-adversarial stance or emerge as a stronger opposition force. Political analysts have long perceived the charges against Hasto as politically driven, in part because they stemmed from events dating back years and because of the timing of a falling-out with former President Joko Widodo. The case originated in late 2024 after PDI-P formally ended its alliance with Mr Widodo for endorsing Mr Prabowo rather than the party's own candidate in Indonesia's presidential election. In court, Hasto had claimed he was threatened with arrest if his party went ahead with expelling Mr Widodo. The former president has denied any involvement in the alleged threat, telling reporters in March that there would be no point in threatening someone not to expel him. 'What would I gain? What would I lose?' he said, according to local media outlet Detik News. The verdict comes a week after Thomas Trikasih Lembong, the former trade minister and a vocal critic of both Mr Widodo and Mr Prabowo in recent years, was found guilty in a case related to sugar imports a decade ago. Both Lembong and prosecutors this week filed appeals in the case. BLOOMBERG

Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets and rockets in deadly border row
Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets and rockets in deadly border row

CNA

time2 days ago

  • CNA

Thailand, Cambodia clash with jets and rockets in deadly border row

The Thai public health ministry said one soldier and at least 11 civilians were killed, most of them in a rocket strike near a petrol station in Sisaket province. Footage from the scene showed smoke pouring from a convenience store attached to the petrol station. Provincial officials said most of the dead were students inside the shop when the attack happened. "I heard a loud noise three or four times, and when I looked over, there was a gigantic cloud of smoke," Praphas Intaracheun, a 53-year-old gardener from Sisaket province, told AFP. He was refuelling at another petrol station around 300m from the one that was hit. "I was absolutely shocked. This is the first time I've ever experienced anything like this," he said. "I'm scared it might escalate during the night when you can't see anything. I don't even dare sleep." The Thai public health ministry said 35 civilians have been wounded. "I DON'T EVEN DARE SLEEP" Fighting was focused on six locations, the Thai army said, with ground troops and tanks battling Cambodian forces for control of territory. Six Thai air force jets were deployed, hitting two "Cambodian military targets on the ground", according to Thai military deputy spokesperson Ritcha Suksuwanon. Cambodia has not yet commented on casualties on its side. Defence ministry spokeswoman Maly Socheata refused to answer when asked about the issue at a news conference. Both sides blame the other for starting the fighting, which erupted near two temples on the border. The Cambodian defence ministry said its forces had responded in self-defence against an "armed assault". Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council to address what his foreign ministry labelled "unprovoked military aggression". Thailand's government, meanwhile, accused Cambodia of being "inhumane, brutal and war-hungry" and said all border crossings had been shut and nearby residents evacuated. The Thai military blamed Cambodian soldiers for firing first, and later accused them of a "targeted attack on civilians", saying two BM-21 rockets had hit a community in Surin province, wounding three people. Thailand's embassy in Phnom Penh urged its nationals to leave Cambodia "as soon as possible". China, a close ally of Cambodia, said it was "deeply concerned" about the clashes, calling for dialogue - while urging its citizens in Cambodia to avoid the border with Thailand. LONG-RUNNING ROW The violence came hours after Thailand expelled the Cambodian ambassador and recalled its own envoy after five members of a Thai military patrol were wounded by a landmine. Cambodia downgraded ties to "the lowest level" on Thursday, pulling out all but one of its diplomats and expelling their Thai equivalents from Phnom Penh. The border row also kicked off a domestic political crisis in Thailand, where Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has been suspended from office pending an ethics probe over her conduct. A diplomatic call between Paetongtarn and Hun Sen, Cambodia's former longtime ruler and father of Hun Manet, was leaked from the Cambodian side, sparking a judicial investigation. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called on both sides to "stand down" and start talks.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store