A Jeju Air flight from Seoul was forced to return to Gimpo International Airport on Monday after a landing gear issue was detected shortly after takeoff.
This incident occurred just one day after South Korea’s deadliest plane crash, which involved a Boeing 737-800, the same model involved in the latest problem.
Jeju Air Flight 7C101, which departed for Jeju Island at 6:37 AM, experienced the technical issue at 6:57 AM, when a warning signal related to the landing gear appeared on the aircraft’s monitoring system.
According to Song Kyung-hoon, head of the management support office at Jeju Air, the pilot communicated with ground control and took corrective measures.
Although the landing gear returned to normal function, the decision was made to return to Gimpo for a full inspection.
“The safety of our passengers is our top priority, so we decided to return to the airport for a thorough check-up,” Song stated during a press briefing.
Despite the resolution of the issue, 21 passengers chose not to board an alternative flight to Jeju, citing safety concerns.
The aircraft involved in Monday’s incident, a Boeing 737-800, is part of Jeju Air’s fleet of 41 planes, 39 of which are the same model.
The airline is under scrutiny as South Korean authorities announced they would conduct a special inspection of all Boeing 737-800 planes in operation within the country.
The crash on Sunday, which involved another Boeing 737-800, was a major tragedy.
The flight, Jeju Air Flight 2216, was carrying 181 passengers from Thailand to South Korea.
The plane made a mayday call before belly-landing and crashing into a barrier, bursting into flames.
Tragically, 179 people lost their lives, with only two flight attendants surviving the ordeal.
In response to the ongoing concerns, Joo Jong-wan, head of South Korea’s aviation policy bureau, confirmed that US investigators, including those from Boeing, may join the probe into the crash.
Joo also emphasized that rigorous aviation safety inspections would be implemented following the incidents.
Jeju Air has committed to working with authorities to ensure the safety of its fleet, while passengers and the wider public await further updates on the investigations.