A simulation contained in the report commissioned by the government-led Aviation and Railway Accident Investigation Board indicated that all on board might have survived without the concrete structure, which did not meet international safety standards, Kim Eun-hye, a member of a bipartisan parliamentary special committee on the accident, said in a press release issued on Thursday.
The simulation by a South Korean structural engineering institute found the aircraft’s initial impact as it hit the runway was not strong enough to cause severe injuries and the plane would have slid about 770 metres (2,526 feet) before stopping if the barrier was not there, her press release said.
It also concluded that if the navigation facility had been supported by a breakable structure, instead of a concrete mound, the aircraft could have breached a fence with only minor injuries, according to the release.
Kim’s office declined to share the full report.
Korea Airports Corporation, which runs Muan airport, said it could not comment until the final investigation results are released. South Korea’s investigation board did not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Discover more from PressNewsAgency
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.