Duck collision suspected in fatal Boeing 737 crash
An initial report from the South Korean Ministry of Transport reveals that duck feathers were found in the engines of the Boeing 737-800, which crashed in December. In a few months, the exact causes of the disaster may be known.
The investigative committee at the Ministry of Transport conducted an inspection of the Boeing engines, where feathers and bird blood stains were discovered. Genetic tests showed that they belong to the Baikal teal, a species of migratory duck from Siberia. "The pilots identified a flock of birds while approaching runway 01," the report stated.
Investigators have not determined the exact moment of collision, as the flight data recorders stopped working a few minutes before the accident. The aircraft's captain had flown over 6,800 hours, and the first officer 1,650 hours.
Further steps in the investigation
The report will be sent to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and aviation institutions in the US, France, and Thailand. ICAO requires a preliminary report to be prepared within 30 days of the accident and recommends issuing a final report within 12 months.
The crash occurred on December 29 at 7:03 PM Eastern Time, when the airplane hit a concrete structure at the end of the runway. Of the 181 people on board, two were rescued.
