Tragic Jeju Air Crash Investigation Reveals Data Loss Before Incident

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The South Korean transport ministry reported that the black boxes from the Jeju Air flight that crashed on December 29, resulting in the deaths of 179 people, ceased recording crucial data four minutes prior to the disaster. The flight, a Boeing 737-800, was en route from Thailand to Muan, South Korea, carrying 181 passengers and crew members when it belly-landed at Muan airport, causing a fiery explosion upon impact with a concrete barrier.

According to the ministry, the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) did not capture any information during the four minutes leading to the accident. The localiser, a device assisting aircraft landings located at the runway's end, has been identified as a significant factor in the crash's severity.

Investigators from South Korea and the United States are continuing their inquiry into the cause of the crash of Jeju Air flight 2216, amidst a national wave of mourning and memorials. Possible contributing factors under investigation include a reported bird strike, malfunctioning landing gear, and the runway barrier itself. The pilot had initially aborted the first landing attempt due to a bird strike warning before the aircraft ultimately crashed during a second attempt when the landing gear failed to deploy.

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