South Korea’s Jeju Air CEO, Lee Sang-joo, has been barred from leaving the country following a fatal plane crash on January 1. The incident occurred when a 737-800 aircraft veered off the runway and crashed into a nearby building while attempting to land at Jeju International Airport, killing two people and injuring 16 others.
The police have imposed a travel ban on Lee while investigators probe the cause of the crash. The Transportation Ministry has also launched a separate investigation, which is expected to take several months.
Preliminary findings suggest that the plane’s tires may have burst during landing, causing the aircraft to lose control. Jeju Air has apologized for the incident and pledged to cooperate fully with the investigation.
The crash has raised concerns about aviation safety in South Korea, which has a generally good safety record. This incident marks the first fatal crash involving a South Korean airline in over a decade.
