A photo believed to show the final moments of the captain in the Jeju Air passenger plane accident at Muan Airport, South Jeolla Province, has been captured. It is interpreted that the captain tried to minimize damage until the very last moment by touching the overhead panel.

On the 1st, a photo capturing the moment of the accident was posted on social media. The person who uploaded the photo, identified as A, wrote, "The captain's last moment. Even in the very final seconds, his hand was on the cockpit panel..." and added, "I believe you did your very best." A focused on the last moments inside the cockpit. The photo shows the captain reaching out his arm to touch the overhead panel inside the cockpit window.

A photo presumed to be the last image of the captain trying to stop the plane just before the accident. MBC

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Netizens who saw the photo commented, "It seems he tried to minimize the damage until the end," "The captain did his best until the last moment," "Even to someone like me who knows nothing, the belly landing looked very stable. It seems he poured all his experience into it," "How scared he must have been at that moment," "My heart aches at the sight of his hand reaching out to do something until the end," "It's too heartbreaking to watch," "There must have been a brief moment of relief as the plane touched the ground," and "It's upsetting and sad," among other reactions.

Meanwhile, as handwritten letters commemorating the victims of the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster are being posted densely at Muan International Airport in South Jeolla Province, a message from a fellow crew member who worked with the captain is drawing attention.

On the 1st, an online community revealed a handwritten letter from crew member A, who had a layover in Jeju with Captain B, who piloted the passenger plane. A layover refers to a stopover or transfer at an intermediate destination, where one stays for less than 24 hours before departing again.

Citizens are leaving memorial messages on the stairs of the 1st floor passenger terminal at Muan International Airport, Jeonnam, one day ago. Photo by Yonhap News

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A began, "Hello, Captain. When I was at Jeju Air, I was always impressed by how kind and considerate you were to your colleagues." A continued, "I cannot express how shocked and saddened I was to hear the news of the accident," and added, "To the captain, first officer, chief purser, and crew members, thank you for doing your utmost to ensure the safety of the passengers until the very end." A expressed heartfelt feelings, saying, "Having lost such wonderful people, those of us who remain will mourn deeply and pray for your peaceful rest again and again," concluding, "I will never forget you. May you rest in peace."

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Captain Han (45), who was piloting the Jeju Air disaster aircraft, is a former Air Force officer who joined Jeju Air in 2014. He was promoted to captain in March 2019 and had 6,823 hours of flight experience. Considering that captains with 13-14 years of experience at low-cost carriers (LCCs) typically have about 7,000 hours of flight time, industry insiders say Captain Han continued to fly without any major issues. Among colleagues, he was also known for his excellent piloting skills. A Ministry official explained, "While it is true that the pilot's fault is also subject to investigation, baseless rumors about lack of qualifications have been circulating, so we decided to disclose his career history."

Previously, on the 29th of last month, Jeju Air flight 7C2216, which departed from Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand, attempted a belly landing (landing with the aircraft's body instead of wheels due to landing gear failure) on the runway at Muan Airport with its landing gear not deployed. However, within about 10 seconds, the plane veered off the runway by about 300 meters, collided with a concrete wall, and was torn in half amid a loud crash, with most of the fuselage engulfed in flames. The passenger plane carried 175 passengers and 6 crew members, totaling 181 people. According to the National Fire Agency, 179 people died and 2 were rescued. As a result, the Jeju Air passenger plane disaster remains the deadliest aviation accident in South Korea in terms of casualties.