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The leader of South Korea has ordered that 179 people died in the worst plane crash in the world.
A Jeju Air plane caught fire while landing at South Korea’s Muan International Airport, killing all but two of those on board.
President Choi Sang-mok has asked investigators into the case to disclose their findings to bereaved families.
His request also comes as another Jeju Air flight returned to Seoul shortly after takeoff on Monday, due to an undisclosed problem.
On Monday, the Jeju Air flight took off from Gimpo International Airport at 06:35 local time (21:35 GMT Sunday) and returned less than an hour after discovering a problem with the landing gear, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported. report.
Propellers refer to the wheels and other parts of the aircraft that support the aircraft during takeoff, taxiing and landing.
The aircraft that returned was a Boeing B737-800, similar to the one involved in Sunday’s crash.
Thirty-nine of the 41 aircraft in Jeju Air’s fleet are of this type.
After Sunday’s fatal crash, Boeing said it was in contact with Jeju Air and stood “ready to help”.
The 179 passengers on flight 7C2216 were aged between three and 78, although most were in their 40s, 50s and 60s, according to Yonhap news agency. Two Thai nationals are among the dead and the rest are believed to be South Koreans, officials said.
On Sunday, the ill-fated plane skidded off the runway after hitting a wall shortly after 09:00 (00:00 GMT).
South Korea’s air traffic control said the plane was trying to land but was forced to stop after air traffic controllers issued a bird strike warning – a warning about the danger to birds.
An air traffic controller later gave permission for the plane to land in the opposite direction, the official said.
The airline’s bosses fell to their knees as they publicly apologized at a press conference on Sunday.
“We deeply apologize to all those affected by the incident. We will do our best to resolve the issue,” the company said in a statement.
Shares of Jeju Air were trading about 8% lower in Seoul on Monday.
The accident is especially tragic in South Korea, where there has been political upheaval after parliament voted out President Yoon Suk Yeol and his interim successor Han Duck-soo.
President Choi, who attended the session only on Friday, said he was “heartbroken” by the accident.
“To the honorable citizens of our country, as acting president, my heart hurts when we are faced with this unexpected tragedy in the midst of the recent economic crisis,” he said.
