S. Korea Set To Finalise Full Cockpit Transcript From Crashed Jeju Air Jet

SEOUL, Jan 4 (Bernama-Yonhap) -- South Korea’s investigators were set to finalise the transcript of the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage of the crashed Jeju Air plane, the Transport Ministry said on Saturday.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport is expected to complete the transcript of the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) on Saturday. This is part of its investigation into Sunday’s crash at South Korea's Muan International Airport, which killed all but two of the 181 passengers and crew aboard.

The recording may hold clues to the final moments of the crash, though the ministry will not make it public until the investigation is completed.

The flight data recorder (FDR) is being prepared for transport to the United States for analysis, according to the ministry.

The Jeju Air jet, which was flying from Bangkok to Muan, belly-landed after a mayday call before slamming into a concrete barrier at the end of the airport's runway and going up in flames.

South Korean and US officials, including those from its manufacturer Boeing, have been working to determine the cause of the accident. Some have suggested that a bird strike, faulty landing gear, and the concrete barrier could have contributed to the crash.

-- BERNAMA-YONHAP