Jeju Air CEO banned from leaving South Korea after fatal crash: police

The chief executive of South Korean airline Jeju Air, Kim E-bae, has been barred from leaving the country as police intensify their investigation into the fatal crash of a Jeju Air Boeing 737-800. The crash, which occurred last week in Muan city, South Jeolla Province, claimed 179 lives, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in South Korean history.

Police announced Thursday that they imposed a travel ban on two individuals, including Kim, as part of their ongoing probe. The flight, carrying 181 passengers and crew from Thailand to South Korea, issued a mayday call before belly-landing and colliding with a concrete barrier. Tragically, only two flight attendants survived the crash.

Authorities have ramped up their investigation, conducting raids on Thursday at the Jeju Air headquarters in Seoul, Muan International Airport, and a regional aviation office in the southwestern city. The police emphasized their commitment to swiftly and thoroughly determining the cause of the crash and holding those responsible accountable in accordance with the law.

At the crash site, soldiers, police, and investigators in protective suits continued to search for evidence. Meanwhile, nearby, monks held prayer ceremonies, and grieving relatives left flowers, food, and heartfelt notes. Post-it messages filled the airport’s stairs, expressing sorrow and love for the victims. One note read, "Honey, I miss you way too much," while another said, "Even if you faced lonely and painful moments in death, may you now soar like a butterfly."

Volunteers, including chefs from Netflix's popular cooking competition show Culinary Class Wars, prepared meals for the victims' families. Across South Korea, citizens prepaid for coffee at the airport’s café to support mourning relatives who have been waiting there for updates since the tragedy. On Thursday, authorities began releasing more victims' bodies to families for funeral preparations.

The investigation is examining multiple factors, including the potential role of a bird strike and the controversial presence of a concrete barrier at the end of the runway. Dramatic video footage showed the plane colliding with the barrier before bursting into flames. Officials are scrutinizing the barrier, which housed an antenna array known as a localizer, for its role in the crash. Experts have speculated that a less rigid structure might have resulted in fewer fatalities.

The police are also analyzing communication records between the pilot and the control tower and gathering evidence regarding the legitimacy of the localizer’s installation. In response, the land ministry has begun inspecting similar structures at airports nationwide to prevent future disasters.

South Korea has also launched an inspection of all Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by its airlines, focusing on potential issues with the landing gear, which appeared to malfunction in the crash. Acting President Choi Sang-mok called for "immediate action" if any problems are found during the investigation. Currently, 101 aircraft of the same model are in operation by six airlines in the country.

Data from the cockpit voice recorder has been successfully extracted, but the flight data recorder sustained damage and will be sent to the United States for analysis. As the investigation progresses, authorities are under pressure to uncover the causes of the crash and implement measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.