Hey there! Did you hear about how South Korea is making airports safer? 😊 Let me tell you all about it!
In December, a Jeju Air plane had a terrible accident at Muan airport. The plane skidded off the runway and sadly caught fire after hitting a special antenna structure. This antenna, called a localizer, helps pilots land safely by guiding them to the runway.
Because of this accident, South Korea’s transport ministry decided to check all the airports to make sure they’re safe. They found that seven airports, including Muan, had antenna structures with strong concrete or steel foundations that needed to be changed.
Now, they plan to improve these structures to make them softer and safer if a plane ever accidentally hits them. They’re working hard to prepare these changes this month and hope to finish everything by the end of 2025.
Aviation experts believe that the hard embankment (that’s like a small hill or wall) at Muan airport made the crash worse, which is very sad. 😔 Out of 181 people on the plane, 179 lost their lives.
The government also checked six airlines that fly the same kind of plane, the Boeing 737-800. They found some problems, like not inspecting planes properly before and after flights and not following the right steps to fix any issues.
To make sure everyone stays safe, they’re doing a special safety inspection of the major airports from January 13 to 21. Plus, they’ve extended the closure of Muan airport until January 19 to work on improvements.
It’s good to know that South Korea is taking big steps to keep passengers safe when they fly! 🛫✨
Reference(s):
South Korea plans to overhaul airport structures after Jeju Air crash
cgtn.com
