• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Analyst describes how 'unbelievably awful' the airport design was of the South Korean plane crash

Home> News> World News

Published 15:43 1 Jan 2025 GMT

Analyst describes how 'unbelievably awful' the airport design was of the South Korean plane crash

South Korea is in a period of mourning

Callum Jones

Callum Jones

An aviation expert has described how 'unbelievably awful' the airport design was of where the South Korean plane crash happened.

South Korea remains in the midst of a seven-day period of mourning following the worst ever domestic civil aviation disaster in history.

The Jeju Air Flight 2216 crashed at the Muan International Airport, located in southwest South Korea approximately 180 miles (290km) south of Seoul, on Sunday.

179 out of the total 181 people onboard have died, as footage from the airport shows the plane sliding along the runway before colliding straight into a concrete wall, where the aircraft was destroyed and came to a stop as a fire broke out.

Advert

While it is not clear exactly what happened to cause the incident, authorities have shared some theories as to why the Boeing 737-800 crashed, including the possibility of a bird strike.

Many aviation experts have spoken out following the tragedy, including David Learmount, who is the operations and safety editor of Flight International magazine.

The South Korea plane crash is the worst ever domestic civil aviation disaster (Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
The South Korea plane crash is the worst ever domestic civil aviation disaster (Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

The aviation expert has spoken to Sky News about the incident, where he took issue to the design of the airport.

Advert

The concrete wall at the South Korean airport was part of a guidance system at the end of the runway, supposedly to help pilots land when visibility is poor or at night.

Learmount stated he hadn't seen a similar layout at other airports, as others speculate on the role of the concrete wall in the crash.

"That kind of structure should not be there. That [the design] is awful, unbelievably awful."

He added: “To have a hard object about 200m or less into the overrun, I've never seen anything like this anywhere ever before.

Advert

"There was plenty of space for the aircraft to have slowed down, come to a halt.

Expert David Learmount has offered his view (Sky News)
Expert David Learmount has offered his view (Sky News)

"And I think everybody would have been alive...the pilots might have suffered some damage going through the security fence or something like that.

"But I even suspect they might have survived."

Advert

Learmount continued: "Not only is there no justification [for the wall to be there], I think it's verging on criminal to have it there.

"That kind of structure should not be there. That is awful. That is unbelievably awful.

"He [the pilot] has brought it down beautifully given the circumstances, they are going very fast but the plane is still intact as it slides along the ground."

Featured Image Credit: Getty Images/JUNG YEON-JE/YouTube/Sky News

Topics: World News, Travel

Callum Jones
Callum Jones

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

6 hours ago
8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • 6 hours ago

    Hulk Hogan’s daughter Brooke reveals shocking reason she didn’t attend dad’s tributes

    Brooke Oleksy shut down previous reports that she and her late father were on bad terms

    Celebrity
  • 6 hours ago

    Expert reveals the 3 common names you should never give your baby for surprising reason

    All three are strong names that are popular today, but there's a reason why this expert doesn't think you should name your child them

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    James Gunn responds to Trisha Paytas naming baby ‘Aquaman’ following bizarre Ozzy Osbourne conspiracy

    DC Studios' co-CEO has reacted to the internet celeb having named her baby Aquaman - something she revealed on the day Ozzy Osbourne died

    Celebrity
  • 9 hours ago

    Fans spot Kelly Osbourne's 'subtle' tribute to dad Ozzy as she pays her respects during his procession

    The Osbourne family and the rest of the world are grieving the loss of a rock legend

    Celebrity
  • Tragic first words of cabin crew from South Korean plane crash after being rescued from wreckage
  • Chilling plea pilot of Air India plane gave security guard before crash killing 260
  • Aviation expert reveals the one 'criminal' error involved in South Korea plane crash that caused the deaths of 179 people
  • Second Jeju Air plane forced to turn around after landing gear malfunction following South Korea crash that killed 179