What caused the South Korea plane crash? | Experts question bird strike theory

At least 177 people have died after a Jeju Air passenger crash landed before skidding and crashing into a concrete wall in South Korea.

The crash was presumed to have been caused by the planes engine striking birds, but several aviation experts have questioned this theory. Dom Joly speaks to one such expert, Terry Tozer, author of 'Why Planes Crash'.

The plane had no landing gear deployed, a detail which has been questioned by experts.

Geoffrey Dell, Australian airline safety expert, told Reuters: “I’ve never seen a bird strike prevent the landing gear from being extended.”

Trevor Jensen, an Australian aviation consultant, explained that emergency services are typically prepared for "belly landings".

Witnesses who spoke to South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said they heard loud explosions and saw sparks while the plane was still in the air.

One witness said he saw "black smoke billowing into the sky" after hearing a "loud explosion".

Another said: “I saw the plane descending and thought it was about to land when I noticed a flash of light.

"Then there was a loud bang followed by smoke in the air, and then I heard a series of explosions."

One of the bereaved family members who had gathered at the airport stood at a microphone to ask for more information from rescue crews.

“'My older brother died and I don't know what's going on,' he said. 'I don't know.'

One of only two confirmed survivors of this morning’s devastating plane crash said he saw smoke coming out of the engine after a bird collision.

The two, a man and a woman, were rescued from the tail of the plane and taken to hospital after sustaining mid to severe injuries.

One of the survivors told rescuers that they saw smoke coming out of the engine before it exploded.

The crew member said: “Smoke came out from one side of the engine and then it exploded. [The cause of the accident] is presumed to be a bird collision.”

Heartbreaking last words of a passenger that died in the crash also suggest there was a collision with birds.

The passenger texted a relative to tell them a bird was stuck in the wing of the plane. Their last message was: “Should I say my last words?”

Family members are being assisted by members of the Red Cross, who are handing out blankets to bereaved relatives.

At least 177 people - 84 women, 82 men and 11 others whose genders were not immediately identifiable - died in the fire, the fire agency said.

The death toll is expected to rise further as the rest of those on board the plane remain missing about six hours after the incident.

The Transport Ministry said the plane was a 15-year-old Boeing 737-800 jet that was returning from Bangkok and that the crash happened at 9.03am local time.

The fire agency deployed 32 fire trucks and several helicopters to contain the blaze. About 1,560 firefighters, police officers, soldiers and other officials were also sent to the site, it said.

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