South Korea extends shutdown of Muan airport resulting from crash probe

SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s authorities stated on Monday it can prolong the shutdown of Muan Worldwide Airport by every week to Jan. 14, citing the continued investigation into the crash of a Jeju Air jet that killed 179 passengers on board.

The airport had been resulting from reopen on Tuesday following the Dec. 29 crash.

A joint investigation workforce is stepping up the probe into South Korea’s deadliest air accident. Two of the Korean investigators on Monday are set to depart for the US with flight knowledge recorders for evaluation with the U.S. Nationwide Transportation Security Board.

The flight knowledge recorders, together with cockpit voice recorders, are the 2 black containers that include key details about the crash.

Investigators on Saturday compiled the whole transcript from the cockpit voice recorder recovered from the wreckage of the Jeju Air Boeing (NYSE:BA) 737-800. It isn’t clear whether or not they are going to disclose the transcript.

Investigators retrieved two of the airplane’s engines over the weekend, as a consultant from engine maker GE joined the probe. The transport ministry prolonged to Jan. 10 its inspections of all of the Boeing 737-800 planes operated by Jeju Air and 5 different airways within the nation, together with their upkeep data.