Jeju Air plane crash | ‘Mayday’ call, bird strike...what happened in last 9 minutes

The pilot of the Jeju Air flight 7C 2216 told the air traffic control that the aircraft had suffered a bird strike and made a “mayday” distress call shortly before the plane crashed on Sunday morning.

South Korea’s transport ministry revealed this in a press briefing on Monday (December 30). The control tower had warned the pilots that birds were spotted in the vicinity shortly before the strike occurred. A video shows the plane coming off the tarmac and hitting a wall, but officials dismissed speculation that the length of the runway might be a factor in the crash.

All 175 passengers and four of the six crew on the flight, arriving from Bangkok, were killed shortly after 9 am local time on Sunday. Two flight attendants were pulled out alive and taken to hospital in stable conditions.

Also read: Jeju Air plane crash | 179 of 181 passengers killed; what we know so far

Final moments

South Korea’s transport ministry provided details of what transpired in the last few minutes before the crash. The following are the final minutes of the flight as provided by the ministry and fire authorities.

8:54 am -- The Muan airport air traffic control authorises the aircraft to land on runway 01.

8:57 am -- Air traffic control gives “caution - bird activity” advisory.

8:59 am -- Flight 7C2216 pilot reports bird strike, declares emergency “Mayday Mayday Mayday” and “Bird strike, bird strike, go-around.”

9:00 am -- Flight 7C2216 initiates a go-around and requests authorisation to land on runway 19, which is by approach from the opposite end of the airport's single runway.

9:01 am -- Air traffic control authorises landing on runway 19.

9:02 am -- Flight 7C2216 makes contact with the runway at about 1,200m (1,312 yard) point of the 2,800m (3,062 yard) runway.

9:02:34 am -- Air traffic control alerts “crash bell” at airport fire rescue unit.

9:02:55 am -- Airport fire rescue unit completes deploying fire rescue equipment.

9:03 am -- Flight 7C2216 crashes into an embankment after overshooting the runway.

9:10 am -- The Transport Ministry receives an accident report from airport authorities.

9:23 am –- A crew member rescued and transported to a temporary medical facility.

9:38 am -- Muan airport is closed.

9:50 am -- Another crew member rescued from inside the tail section of the plane.

Also read: Jeju Air plane crash | Both survivors in shock, unable to recall anything about crash

Emergency safety inspection

Meanwhile, South Korea’s acting president Choi Sang-mok on Monday ordered an emergency safety inspection of the country's entire airline operation system. The top priority for now is identifying the victims, supporting their families and treating the two survivors, Choi told a disaster management meeting in Seoul.

“Even before the final results are out, we ask that officials transparently disclose the accident investigation process and promptly inform the bereaved families,” he said. “As soon as the accident recovery is conducted, the transport ministry is requested to conduct an emergency safety inspection of the entire aircraft operation system to prevent recurrence of aircraft accidents,” he added.

The transport ministry is also contemplating a special inspection of all 101 Boeing 737-800 aircraft operated by South Korean airliners.

Even though some claim that the cause of the accident was a bird strike, many experts have questioned why the plane appeared to be travelling so fast and why its landing gear did not appear to be down when it skidded down the runway.