NEW YORK, Dec 31 (NNN-XINHUA) – Aviation analysts are considering several factors that might have contributed to a deadly plane crash in South Korea, including a concrete structure near the runway that the airliner slammed into, exploding and killing 179 of the 181 people aboard, The New York Times reported yesterday.
Most airports don’t have similar structures in such proximity to runways, experts said. When they do, they are typically made of softer materials designed to break apart or absorb impact with minimal damage to a plane that overruns a runway.
“Details about the cause of the crash on Sunday of Jeju Air Flight 7C2216, the worst ever on South Korean soil, are likely to remain unclear, until investigators release their preliminary findings, expected in the coming month,” noted the report.
Experts cautioned against drawing conclusions, including about the possible role of airport infrastructure, until a full review of evidence is complete.
But in the days ahead, “investigators will be looking at that wall,” said Hassan Shahidi, president of the Flight Safety Foundation, a nonprofit organisation that provides safety guidance to the aviation industry.– NNN-XINHUA
