South Korea air crash recorders missing final four minutes

South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport recently stated that the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder of the South Korean passenger plane that crashed last month stopped recording four minutes before the disaster occurred. The accident resulted in the deaths of 179 people, making it the worst air disaster on South Korean soil, with only two crew members surviving.

Investigators had originally hoped to use the data from the recorders to understand the critical moments before the tragedy. However, the recorders stopping work prematurely has made the investigation into the cause of the accident more complex. Currently, South Korea's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has stated that it will analyze the reasons why the "black boxes" stopped recording.

It is understood that these recorders were initially inspected in South Korea. After discovering missing data, they were sent to the United States for analysis by U.S. safety regulators. This demonstrates the rigor of the investigation, as well as the urgent need to uncover the truth about the accident.

The flight took off from Bangkok on December 29 and crashed while landing at Muan International Airport, running off the runway, hitting a wall, and catching fire. Former transport accident investigator Sim Jai-dong told Reuters that the loss of data at a crucial moment was surprising, suggesting that all power sources, including backup power, may have been cut off.

Many questions still remain unanswered. Investigators have been investigating the possible role of bird strikes or weather conditions in the accident. In addition, they are also focusing on why the Boeing 737-800 did not deploy its landing gear when it hit the runway. These factors could all have a significant impact on the final investigation into the cause of the accident.