Grieving families of victims of S. Korean plane crash visit site for memorial service

SEOUL, South Korea -- Grieving relatives of people killed in a plane crash in South Korea visited the site to pay respects to their loved ones on New Year’s Day on Wednesday, as officials said they have identified all 179 bodies.

Only two of the 181 people aboard the Boeing 737-800 operated by Jeju Air survived when it crashed in Muan International Airport in southern South Korea on Sunday. Video showed the aircraft, without its landing gear deployed, landing on its belly at high speed, skidding off the end of the runaway into a concrete fence and then bursting into flames.

All of the victims were South Koreans except for two Thais, with many returning from Bangkok after Christmas holidays there.

The bereaved families visited the site on Wednesday for the first time since the crash for a traditional memorial service. They were bused to the site, where they took turns laying white flowers, knelt down and bowed deeply before a memorial table where food was placed. The food included “ddeokguk,” a Korean rice cake soup eaten on New Year's Day.

Some wailed and dropped to the ground.

The Transport Ministry said authorities have completed the identification of the dead, which was complicated by the severe damage some bodies received. It said the government has so far handed over 11 bodies to relatives.

The exact cause of the crash is under investigation. Video showed the plane was experiencing an apparent engine problem in addition to the landing gear malfunction. Investigators say the pilot received a warning from air traffic controllers of possible bird strikes and the plane issued a distress signal before the crash.

Officials have said they will also look into whether the airport’s localizer — a set of antennas at the end of the runway designed to guide aircraft during landings that was housed in a concrete fence — should have been constructed with lighter materials that would break more easily upon impact.

The South Korean government has begun safety inspections of all 101 Boeing 737-800s in the country. On Tuesday, a team of U.S. investigators including representatives from Boeing also examined the crash site.