Police raid offices of airline and airport involved in South Korean plane crash

LAUREN TAYLOR: South Korean police raided the offices of both the airline and airport operator at the center of a plane crash that killed 179 people.

All but two of the 181 passengers and crew aboard Jeju Air flight 2216, landing at Muan International Airport, died in the crash Sunday.

The raids occurred as part of the efforts by South Korean authorities to figure out the cause of the crash.

The plane made an abrupt belly landing and skidded off the runway, crashing into a barrier.

The investigation will focus on the last few minutes of the flight, including multiple landing attempts and mayday alerts after a bird strike.

Starting Tuesday, police began releasing bodies of victims to their families, in order to facilitate funeral services.

As the investigation into their deaths proceeds, police also banned the airline’s chief executive from leaving the country while the investigation is ongoing.

And authorities will also investigate the landing gear of all Boeing 737-800 planes operated in South Korea. The mid-sized model is one of the most common planes in the world. 

Here in the US, it’s the most common plane in the fleet of American Airlines, and a common one in the fleets of other top US airlines, including United, Delta and Southwest.

For Straight Arrow News, I’m Lauren Taylor.

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