South Korean authorities began returning the bodies of victims from the Jeju Air crash to their families on Tuesday, while investigators worked urgently to determine the cause of the crash landing and subsequent fire.

US investigators, including representatives from Boeing, arrived at the crash site in Muan, southwest of South Korea, as local authorities began analyzing the two black boxes recovered from the wreckage of the Boeing 737-800.

The plane, which was en route from Thailand to South Korea with 181 people on board, issued a mayday call before belly-landing, crashing into a barrier, and bursting into flames. All passengers and crew, except for two flight attendants pulled from the wreckage, were killed.

BREAKING: Video shows crash of Jeju Air Flight 2216 in South Korea. 181 people on board pic.twitter.com/9rQUC0Yxt8

— BNO News (@BNONews) December 29, 2024

A 'turning point' for the nation 

The country is observing seven days of mourning, with flags flying at half-mast. Acting President Choi Sang-mok, who took office on Friday, described the tragedy as a "turning point" for the nation, calling for a complete overhaul of the country’s air safety systems. He urged authorities to "thoroughly reexamine the overall aircraft operation system... and immediately address any necessary improvements."

"Today marks the final day of 2024," Choi added, encouraging citizens to "reflect on the past year and prepare for the new one." He also expressed gratitude for the unity shown by the public during challenging times, saying, "I am well aware that whenever challenges arose, both domestically and internationally, all citizens and public officials united with one heart and mind to overcome these crises."

At Muan airport, investigators were meticulously combing through the wreckage, while soldiers searched the surrounding fields. People left offerings for the victims, including food and heartfelt letters. One note left at the airport's perimeter read, "Captain, first officer, and crew members, thank you so much for doing your best to save the passengers. I pray for your eternal rest."

Tragedy unfolded

Inside the airport, where families of the victims had been waiting since Sunday, frustration was mounting over the delays in identifying the passengers. However, authorities began releasing the first bodies to their families for funeral arrangements, even as the identification process continued.

Transport Minister Park Sang-woo confirmed that four victims had been handed over to their families, and for 28 other victims, whose identities were confirmed and autopsies completed, funeral procedures would begin at 2 pm (0500 GMT) Tuesday.

One family tragically lost nine members in the crash. Among them was the oldest passenger, who was taking his first-ever overseas trip to celebrate his birthday. The family, including the passenger’s wife, two daughters, one son-in-law, and four grandchildren, all died.

The only surviving relative, a son-in-law who was not able to join the trip, was left to cope with the loss of his wife and three children. Local broadcaster KBC reported that the son-in-law was in deep despair, saying, "I should have gone with them and died with them."

Memorial altars have been set up across the country, including in Seoul, and families were seen preparing a new altar at Muan airport, where black-and-white funeral flowers filled the space.

In the meantime, officials are working to analyze the flight’s black boxes to understand what went wrong in the aircraft's final moments.

Deputy Civil Aviation Minister Joo Jong-wan reported that the surface cleaning of the black boxes had been completed, and their condition was being assessed. However, he added that the flight data recorder's data storage unit was still being evaluated due to a missing connector. Technical reviews are underway to determine how to retrieve the data.