South Korea Plane Crash: Victims’ Families File Complaint Against 15 Officials

The families of those who perished in the devastating Jeju Air plane crash last December have taken legal action, filing a formal complaint against 15 individuals they believe bear responsibility for the tragedy. Among those named are South Korea’s transport minister, the president of Jeju Air, and several airline and airport officials connected to safety, maintenance, and air traffic operations. The crash, which occurred on December 29, claimed the lives of 179 out of the 181 people on board, marking the country’s deadliest aviation disaster since 1997.

Although the Jeonnam Provincial Police and other government agencies have been conducting investigations into the cause of the crash, the families’ complaint is widely seen as a symbolic but urgent appeal for a more transparent and accelerated investigation process. Many of the bereaved relatives have expressed frustration over what they perceive as the authorities’ failure to make substantial progress or identify clear accountability.

On Tuesday, 72 grieving family members submitted the formal complaint to the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency in southern South Korea, their legal representatives and police confirmed. According to a statement released by the lawyers’ group assisting the families, the complaint targets a broad list of officials. This includes high-ranking figures such as the transport minister and Jeju Air’s president, as well as airline personnel responsible for safety and maintenance protocols. Airport staff at Muan International Airport, who were responsible for managing bird strike prevention, air traffic control, and facility operations, were also named.

Speaking on behalf of the families, Kim Dae-hye, who lost a loved one in the crash, expressed anguish and anger. “Four months after the disaster, we can’t help feeling deep anger and despair over the fact that there has been little progress in the investigation,” Kim said in a statement. Meanwhile, attorney Lee So-Ah emphasized that the filing of the complaint would legally oblige the police to provide updates to the bereaved families on the status of the investigation — a move that, until now, had been done voluntarily and without consistent communication.

The crash involved a Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air, which skidded off the runway at Muan International Airport after its landing gear failed to deploy properly. The aircraft collided with a concrete structure before erupting in flames. Authorities later reported finding traces of a bird strike in the aircraft’s engines and revealed that the plane’s black boxes had ceased recording data approximately four minutes before impact.

A key concern raised by aviation experts centers on the airport’s infrastructure. The structure struck by the aircraft housed a set of antennas known as a localiser, which aids planes during landings. Analysts have argued that the structure should have been constructed from lighter, breakaway materials to minimize damage in the event of an impact. Despite these observations, no official cause for the crash has been confirmed, and no legal charges have yet been filed against any individuals.

The Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency stated that it continues to actively investigate the incident. Officials reiterated that due to the complex nature of the crash, including technical, operational, and procedural elements, the inquiry would take time. However, they declined to provide a specific timeline for when the investigation might conclude.

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