DNA Testing of Bird Feathers May Reveal Cause of Fatal Boeing Crash in South Korea

KRKorea|

Investigators in South Korea are intensifying efforts to determine the cause of a tragic Boeing 737-800 crash that resulted in the loss of 179 lives. The airplane, operated by low-cost carrier Jeju Air, encountered difficulties during landing, leading to the disaster nearly two weeks ago.

Key pieces of evidence, including a defective flight data recorder sent to the United States for analysis, are being scrutinized alongside a cockpit voice recorder under examination by South Korean experts. Additionally, authorities are focusing on a recent finding: moments before the crash, a bird strike occurred on the aircraft's right engine. While experts believe the bird strike was not the direct cause of the accident, it may have been a critical trigger.

To ascertain which bird species collided with the aircraft, investigators have dispatched 17 bird feather fragments and a blood sample from the engine to the National Institute for Biological Resources. Analysts face challenges due to the damaged and contaminated state of the samples, which makes DNA extraction difficult.

Despite these obstacles, the identification of the bird species could provide insight into its size and weight, potentially clarifying the circumstances of the crash. Results from the DNA analysis may take about a week to arrive, pending the quality of the samples.

Of the 179 individuals on board, only two flight attendants survived by remaining in the aircraft's detached tail section. The remaining victims have been laid to rest, as the investigation continues to uncover the factors leading to this catastrophic event.

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