Officials investigating the horrifying Jeju Air disaster last month have made a bombshell DNA discovery during an inspection of the crashed plane's remains. According to the report: "The samples were sent to specialised organisations for DNA analysis, and a domestic organisation identified them as belonging to Baikal teals.
Baikal teals are a species of migratory duck. The report also referenced two black boxes that were recovered and stated they stopped recording about four minutes before the deadly impact. The missing four minutes could represent a hurdle for investigators wanting to bring closure to the victims' families as it complicates finding out the cause of the crash.
Last month's air disaster was the deadliest in modern South Korean history and resulted in the deaths of people on board. Only two people survived the crash and were seated a the back of the plane. The front of the Boeing plane smashed into a wall after it skidded down the runway at Muan International airport on December Its landing gear failed to deploy resulting in the plane hitting the concrete and subsequently bursting into flames. The flight had set off from Bangkok, Tailand, and all but two of the victims were returning to South Korea.
Analysts have since said the concrete wall should have been made of lighter materials so it could break with ease upon impact, the Associated Press reported. The South Korean Transport Ministry has said it will remove the wall at the airport.
Air traffic controllers previously told the pilot about the potential for bird strikes two minutes before a distress signal was made. Minutes later the pilot made the attempted emergency landing. Today's preliminary report said pilots noticed groups of birds as they made their approach at Muan airport.
