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Jeju Air CEO undergoes police questioning over deadly airplane crash

Published: 18 Feb. 2025, 09:51

Jeju Air CEO Kim E-bae attends a parliamentary session regarding a deadly crash involving the airline's jet at the National Assembly in western Seoul on Jan. 14. [YONHAP]

The chief of Jeju Air has undergone police questioning over the deadly December crash of the company's passenger jet that claimed 179 lives, officials said Monday.

The Jeonnam Provincial Police recently questioned CEO Kim E-bae as a witness over the crash at Muan International Airport in the southwestern county of Muan on Dec. 29. Of the total 181 people on board, only two survived.

Police are said to have focused their questioning on the operations and safety management of the aircraft of the crash, with Kim reportedly saying there had been no issues regarding the safety, maintenance and operations of the jet.

The police have called in various officials from the budget carrier, the airport, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and relevant agencies to investigate the exact cause of the accident.

They are currently focusing their investigation on the airport's localizer that the aircraft crashed into.

The Boeing 737-800 jet from Bangkok erupted into flames after crashing into the structure that assists aircraft navigation as it overshot the runway when it made an emergency belly landing at the airport.

Yonhap