South Korea Launches Independent Probe into Jeju Air Crash That Killed 179

South Korea’s parliament has voted to start an independent investigation into last year’s deadly Jeju Air crash. The decision follows strong accusations from victims’ families. They allege serious delays and possible cover-ups in the official inquiry. The disaster occurred on December 29, 2024. A Jeju Air Boeing 737-800 crashed while landing at Muan international airport, 288km south of Seoul. Only two of the 181 people on board survived. The pilots had reported a bird strike, which is when birds are sucked into an aircraft's engines, just before the crash. The new parliamentary probe aims to provide a transparent and thorough examination of the causes and the response to the crash.