A Jeju Air plane took off from Gimpho International Airport at 06:35 local time (21:35 GMT Sunday) on Monday and returned less than an hour after discovering a mechanical defect caused by an undercarriage problem, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported. informed.
Landing gear refers to the set of wheels and other parts of an aircraft that support the aircraft during takeoff, taxiing and landing.
The plane that turned back was a Boeing B737-800, the same model as the one that crashed on Sunday.
Thirty-nine of the 41 aircraft in Jeju Air’s fleet are of this model.
After Sunday’s fatal crash, Boeing said it was in touch with Jeju Air and was “ready to support them.”
According to the Yonhap news agency, the 179 passengers on flight 7C2216 were aged between three and 78, although most were in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Two Thai nationals were among the dead, and the rest are believed to be from South Korea, authorities said.
On Sunday, the ill-fated plane skidded off the runway after landing and crashed into a wall shortly after 09:00 local time (00:00 GMT).
A South Korean transport official said the plane attempted to land but was forced to stall after an air traffic controller issued a bird strike warning – a signal that there is a risk of a bird strike.
Later, the air traffic control allowed the plane to land from the opposite direction, the official said.
Airline bosses took a deep bow as they made a public apology at a press conference on Sunday.
“We offer our deepest apologies to all those affected by the incident. We will make every effort to resolve the situation,” the company said in a statement.
Jeju Air shares traded up about 8% in Seoul on Monday.
The accident is a national tragedy for South Korea, which has been embroiled in political turmoil since parliament voted to remove President Yoon Suk-yeol and his interim successor Han Dak-soo.
Acting President Choi, who only took up the interim role on Friday, said he was “heartbroken” by the accident.
“Dear citizens of our country, my heart aches as Acting President as we face this unforeseen tragedy amid recent economic difficulties,” he said.
