In a poignant move to seek justice, 72 family members of those killed in the devastating Jeju Air crash filed a criminal complaint against 15 aviation and government officials in South Korea on Tuesday. This complaint comes nearly five months after the horrifying incident that resulted in the deaths of 179 individuals during a fireball explosion at Muan International Airport on December 29.
The filing, which was submitted to the Jeonnam Provincial Police agency, alleges negligence and violations of South Korean laws, including the Serious Accidents Punishment Act and the Aviation Safety Act. Targeted individuals include Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae, transport minister Park Sang-woo, and airport officials. The bereaved families contend that the crash represented not merely an accident, but a serious civil disaster precipitated by a failure to address known risks.
Statements from the families highlight their concerns about the abrupt maneuver executed by the aircraft’s pilot prior to landing, the maintenance of the plane's engines, and the concerning malfunction of the flight recorder, which ceased operations just four minutes before the crash. While an official cause of the disaster remains undisclosed, investigations have indicated that air officials were previously warned about the risks associated with bird strikes.
Family member Kim Da-hye expressed disillusionment, stating, “There has been no progress in the four months since the disaster; I can’t help but feel deep anger and despair.” In response to the tragedy, transportation and airport authorities have promised to upgrade airport safety infrastructure, including the reconstruction of concrete navigation devices and enhancing drone surveillance to monitor bird activity.
Muan International Airport is slated to reopen in July following the implementation of these new safety measures, and both South Korean and U.S. investigators are continuing to analyze the circumstances surrounding the crash.
