Investigators Find Evidence of Bird Strike in Jeju Air Plane Crash**

A Jeju Air passenger plane crash in December, which resulted in 179 fatalities, is under investigation for a potential bird strike after feathers and blood were found on the aircraft's engines.**

Investigators probing the tragic Jeju Air plane crash that resulted in the death of 179 people in South Korea last December have uncovered crucial evidence linking the incident to a bird strike. According to a preliminary investigation report released on Monday, feathers and blood stains from a Baikal teal—a species of migratory duck—were found on both engines of the ill-fated Boeing 737-800.

The report highlights a critical lens on the implications of the bird strike as the inquiry shifts focus to the plane's interaction with a concrete structure at the end of the runway. The aircraft was returning from Bangkok, taking off on the morning of December 29th, and was scheduled to land at Muan International Airport in the country’s southwest. Just three minutes after establishing contact with the airport control tower, the crew was warned about "bird activity" in the vicinity. Moments later, the pilot reported a bird strike and initiated a mayday call, directing the aircraft to land from an alternate approach.

However, the landing went awry when the plane belly-landed without deploying its landing gear, subsequently overrun the runway, and crashed into a concrete structure which is critical for navigation, leading to a catastrophic explosion. Earlier reports revealed that flight data and cockpit voice recording systems had ceased functioning about four minutes prior to the disaster.

A number of aviation experts have raised concerns regarding the navigation structure’s location along the runway, questioning whether the high casualty rate could have been lower had the barriers not been present. Following an extensive review, South Korea's transport ministry has announced plans to redesign the concrete structures used for navigation at seven airports across the country, with similar measures proposed for international airports as well.

The preliminary findings have been shared with the United Nations' aviation agency, along with authorities from the United States, France, and Thailand, as the investigators continue to piece together the factors that led to one of the deadliest aviation incidents in South Korean history.