Circumstances surrounding possibility of bird strike as cause of accident

[Anchor]

Now, let's take a closer look at the circumstances of the accident.

Just before the accident, the control tower at Muan Airport sent a bird strike warning to the aircraft.

Flames were also seen coming from the aircraft's engine.

This has led to speculation that the aircraft may have collided with a flock of birds.

Kim Ho reports.

[Report]

The aircraft was captured approaching the airport with flames and smoke coming from its right engine.

It has been confirmed that the control tower had warned the aircraft about a bird strike.

There are suspicions that the engine may have malfunctioned due to a collision with birds.

[Yoo Kyung-soo/Director of Aviation Safety Policy, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport: "We are currently assuming that there may have been difficulties in piloting due to a bird strike. As it ascended, there may have been some issues with the aircraft..."]

This situation is also confirmed by messages sent by passengers.

One passenger contacted their family saying, "A bird got caught in the wing, and we can't land," suggesting that there may have been some related announcement on board.

It is known that there is a large lake and tidal flats near Muan Airport, where ducks and migratory birds are often spotted.

[Muan County Official/Voice Altered: "There is a lake next to the golf course near the airport. While I haven't seen a flock there, I have often seen winter migratory ducks sitting there."]

Under such circumstances, it has also been confirmed that there were efforts to disperse flocks of birds from the runway ongoing up until 30 minutes before the accident at Muan Airport.

A representative from a subsidiary of Korea Airports Corporation stated in a call with KBS, "According to relevant standards, one worker had chased away the birds and then evacuated to a safe location 30 minutes before landing," adding, "If there was a bird strike, we believe it occurred before entering the runway."

At the time of the accident, there was almost no wind around Muan Airport, and visibility was clear, reaching up to 9,000 meters.

A Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport official stated that they will investigate the installation and normal operation of bird strike prevention equipment at Muan Airport.

Previously, a strategic environmental impact assessment report, prepared four years ago for the runway expansion project at Muan Airport, pointed out that there is a high risk of bird strikes during aircraft takeoff and landing, indicating the need for mitigation measures.

This is Kim Ho from KBS News.