South Korea will remove concrete barriers used at airports across the country after a plane crash in December that claimed the lives of 179 people.
While investigators are still probing South Korea’s worst domestic civil aviation disaster at Muan International Airport, experts have said the massive berm supporting navigation antennas at the end of the runway likely made the crash more deadly than it might have been otherwise.
Only two crew members seated near the rear of the Boeing 737-800 aircraft survived the crash at Muan, about 180 miles south of Seoul, on 29 December.
At the time, a special disaster zone was declared as video emerged of the aircraft, which may have malfunctioned because of bird strikes, attempting to crash-land.
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On its second attempt, the Jeju Air plane, which had been flying from Bangkok, Thailand, veered off the runway and crashed into a wall, quickly becoming engulfed in smoke and fire.
It did not have its landing gear deployed and was travelling at speed before crashing, footage appears to show.
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Following a review of antenna structures known as Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), or a “localiser”, authorities have now said they will make new foundations or other adjustments for similar antennas at seven airports, including Muan, that are either below ground level or easy to break.
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“Muan International Airport plans to completely remove the existing concrete and reinstall the localiser in a fragile structure,” the transport ministry said in a statement.
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It comes after the ministry said on Saturday the airport will remain shut till 18 April.
Among other steps being taken following the disaster, the transport ministry said it will ensure a 240-metre (787-ft) long runway safety area at all airports to meet all relevant regulations.
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The area at Muan airport was about 200 metres long before the crash.
Police said separately that Son Chang-wan, the former president of the state-run Korea Airports Corporation who was in office when the structure at Muan airport was renovated, was found dead in his home yesterday of an apparent suicide.
Mr Son was not under investigation over the plane crash and had not been summoned for questioning over it, a police official said.
