Remains Found Again in Muan Passenger Plane Disaster Wreckage... Poor Initial Recovery Under Fire

3.5 cm Remains Discovered in Wreckage
DNA Analysis Requested from National Forensic Service
Controversy Rekindled Over Chaotic Initial Recovery

During the second investigation of the accident debris conducted on the morning of the 26th last month at Muan International Airport in Mangun-myeon, Muan-gun, Jeollanam-do, remains presumed to be bones of the disaster victims were found. Accompaniment provided with a public interest lawyer.

Remains presumed to belong to a victim have once again been discovered among the wreckage of the "12·29 Muan Airport Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster" that had been left unattended for over a year, intensifying criticism from bereaved families over the chaotic initial recovery efforts.

According to the Council of Bereaved Families of the 12·29 Muan Airport Jeju Air Passenger Plane Disaster on March 5, the Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Scientific Investigation Unit of the Jeonnam Provincial Police Agency carried out a third reclassification investigation of the wreckage at Muan International Airport that morning.

The issue is that, during this process, at around 11 a.m., the Scientific Investigation Unit newly discovered a 3.5 cm object, presumed to be a victim's remains, while sorting through debris contained in a large sack. The discovered remains were immediately sent to the National Forensic Service for detailed analysis, including identification and DNA comparison with the bereaved families.

Previously, during the second debris sorting operation conducted on the 26th of last month, a 25 cm bone was discovered and, according to recent National Forensic Service analysis, was officially confirmed to be the actual remains of a disaster victim. In the first debris sorting operation on the 12th of last month, 154 personal belongings of the victims were also additionally identified in bulk.

The bereaved families are voicing outrage at the disorganized initial recovery process. Kim Yoojin, head of the council of bereaved families, stated, "Inside the large sack where the remains were found, all sorts of items such as personal belongings and food waste were indiscriminately mixed together," and emphasized, "As the families' claims that the initial recovery was not properly conducted have now been proven true, the likelihood of additional remains being discovered in the future is extremely high."

Meanwhile, the authorities are continuing their investigation, classification, and documentation of the wreckage by deploying three teams of about ten people each, conducting the work approximately twice a week. Debris scattered on the ground has been moved into four containers, and the large tail fin is being stored separately in an additional temporary structure. The authorities plan to collect key evidence needed to determine the cause of the accident and thoroughly complete the recovery process through this detailed reinvestigation, which is to be conducted more than ten times in total.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.